Blessed Margaret of Louvain
Blessed Margaret of Louvain (Dutch: Margaretha van Leuven; also "Fair Margaret," Margaret the Proud; born c. 1207 AD in Louvain (Leuven), Brabant (present-day Belgium); died September 2, 1225 AD near Louvain) was a young Flemish servant girl who was murdered by robbers and has been venerated since the Middle Ages as a virgin martyr. Her feast day is September 2.
A servant in an inn kept by her relatives at Louvain, Margaret was killed when thieves robbed and murdered her employers and then, to silence her, put her to death, sparing neither her virtue nor her life. Miracles were reported at her tomb, and her cult was confirmed in 1905.
Stored in Cargo: Blessed Margaret of Louvain
| Blessed Margaret of Louvain | |
|---|---|
| Feast Day | September 02 |
| Profession | Servant girl; virgin martyr |
| Rel. Affiliation | Catholic Church |
| Patronage | Servants; young women; victims of violence; Louvain |
| Attributes | Palm of martyrdom; young woman in servant's dress; the river where her body was found |
| Birthplace | Louvain (Leuven), Brabant (Belgium) |
| Death Place | Near Louvain (Leuven), Belgium |
| Cause of Death | Martyrdom; murdered by robbers, sparing neither her chastity nor her life; venerated as a virgin martyr |
| Primary Shrine | Saint Peter's Church, Louvain (Leuven), Belgium |
Biography
Margaret was born about 1207 at Louvain (Leuven) in the Duchy of Brabant, in what is now Belgium, of humble family. She worked as a servant girl in an inn or tavern kept by an older relative, a devout couple who were her employers and guardians, and who had themselves considered entering religious life.
According to the account that has come down, one night a band of robbers came to the inn. They fell upon and murdered the innkeeper and his wife and plundered the house. Margaret, who witnessed the crime, was seized by the murderers. When they attempted to violate her and to make her join or shield them, she resisted, and to silence her they carried her off and killed her, casting her body into the river Dyle.
Her body was discovered, and, it is related, unusual signs marked the finding, drawing attention to the innocence and holiness of the young victim. She came to be venerated as a martyr who had died in defense of her chastity and her faith, and miracles were reported at her tomb in the church of Saint Peter at Louvain. The poet-theologians of the age, and later the town, honored her memory.
Her cult, long maintained, was confirmed in 1905 by Pope Pius X. She is venerated as Blessed Margaret of Louvain, "the Fair," and her feast is kept on September 2.
Significant locations
Legend
Birth location: None
Death location: None
Notable location:
Notable location:
Notable location:
Notable location:
Notable location:
Dynamic content
Parishes
No parishes dedicated to Margaret of Louvain have been added to the database yet.
Media
No media found for this saint.
Shrines
Dynamic shrines
No results
No shrines where this saint is the primary saint.
Feast day
September 2
Prayers
Authored
There are prayers authored by this saint in prayers list yet.
Intercessory
There are no prayers asking for this saint's intercession in prayers list yet.