LUDMILLA (Lidmila), Saint, Martyr. - Patroness of Bohemia, b. at Pšovka near Mělník in 860, d. at Tetín on 15 Sept. 921. Wife of the first Christian duke of Bohemia, Bořivý; she was baptized by St. Methodius at Velehrad in 871.

After the abdication of the throne of Bohemia in favor of her son Spitlhněv, St. Ludmilla retired to Tetín, where she exercised a great influence over her nephew Wenceslaus, son of Vratislav and Drahomira. She was concerned above all with his spiritual life, teaching him the Christian doctrine and instilling in him a great love for the Most Holy Sacrament. In 916, when Wenceslaus ascended the throne of Bohemia, she became his counselor. Then Drahomira, driven by the pagan faction, decided to do away with Ludmilla in the hope of extinguishing not only Wenceslaus's counselor but also Christianity in Bohemia. She therefore had her strangled at Tetín on 15 Sept. 921. The body of Ludmilla was transported to the church of St. George in Prague in 1110. Feast on 16 Sept.

Bibliography2 works

BIBL.: J. Pekař, Die Wenzelsund L.- Legenden und die Echtheit Christiana, Prague 1906; Passio s. Ludmilie, ed. O. Holder-Egger, in MGH, Scriptores, XV, I (1887), pp. 572-74.

Miroslav Stumpf

@incollection{ec7_ludmilla_lidmila_santa_martire, author = {Stumpf, Miroslav}, title = {Ludmilla (Lidmila), santa, martire}, booktitle = {Enciclopedia Cattolica}, volume = {VII}, pages = {1638}, note = {Cited by column}, publisher = {Ente per l’Enciclopedia Cattolica e per il Libro Cattolico}, address = {Città del Vaticano}, year = {1951}, url = {https://azioneromana.com/article/ludmilla-lidmila-santa-martire} }

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Ludmilla (Lidmila), Saint, Martyr

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