Saint Chelidonia
Saint Chelidonia (born c. 1080 AD in Cicoli, Abruzzo, Italy; died October 13, 1152 AD in Subiaco, Lazio, Italy) was an Italian Benedictine recluse who lived as a hermit in a cave near Subiaco — the same area where Saint Benedict of Nursia himself had lived as a young hermit. She is the patron of Subiaco. Her feast day is October 13.
Stored in Cargo: Saint Chelidonia
| Saint Chelidonia | |
|---|---|
| Feast Day | October 13 |
| Profession | Benedictine recluse; hermit |
| Rel. Affiliation | Order of Saint Benedict; Subiaco Congregation |
| Patronage | Subiaco; hermits |
| Attributes | Benedictine habit; hermit's staff; dove (peace of the solitary life) |
| Birthplace | Cicoli (Carsoli), L'Aquila Province, Abruzzo, Italy |
| Death Place | Subiaco, Rome Metropolitan City, Lazio, Italy |
| Cause of Death | Natural causes; holy death after decades as a hermit |
| Primary Shrine | Cathedral of Saint Andrew, Subiaco, Lazio — her relics are enshrined here |
| Liturgical Class | Not included (universal calendar) |
| Historic Class | Not included |
Biography
Chelidonia was born around 1080 in the region of Carsoli in Abruzzo. From her youth she was drawn to the solitary life of prayer and penance. She made her way to the area of Subiaco, in the Aniene River valley east of Rome — the place where Saint Benedict of Nursia had himself lived as a hermit in a cave (the Sacro Speco) at the end of the fifth century, and where the great Benedictine monastery of Subiaco was founded.
Chelidonia lived as a recluse for many years in a cave near Subiaco, dedicating herself to prayer, fasting, and penance. She was known for her holiness and was sought out for spiritual counsel. She died on October 13, 1152, after decades of eremitic life, and was buried at Subiaco.
Her relics were translated to the Cathedral of Saint Andrew in Subiaco, where she remains the principal patron of the town. She is commemorated in the Roman Martyrology on October 13.
Significant locations
Legend
Birth location: Cicoli (Carsoli), L'Aquila Province, Abruzzo, Italy
Death location: Subiaco, Rome Metropolitan City, Lazio, Italy
Notable location: The town near which she lived in a hermit's cave; site of her tomb and patronage; home of the Benedictine monasteries of Saints Scholastica and Benedict (Sacro Speco) (Subiaco, Lazio, Italy)
Notable location: The cave monastery of Saint Benedict near which she lived; now a major pilgrimage site with medieval frescoes (Sacro Speco (Holy Cave), Subiaco, Lazio, Italy)
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Parishes
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Shrines
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Known shrines
- Cathedral of Saint Andrew, Subiaco — her relics; the main church of Subiaco where she is venerated as patron.
- Sacro Speco, Subiaco — the cave monastery of Saint Benedict in the same valley where she lived; a major pilgrimage site.
Feast day
October 13
Veneration
Saint Chelidonia is venerated in the Roman Catholic Church with a feast day on October 13. She is the patron of Subiaco.
Prayers
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