Saint Lydwine
Saint Lydwine of Schiedam (also Lidwina; born April 18, 1380 AD in Schiedam, Holland, Netherlands; died April 14, 1433 AD in Schiedam, Holland, Netherlands) was a Dutch mystic who suffered from severe physical illness for 38 years following an ice-skating accident in 1396. She endured her suffering with extraordinary patience and mystical joy, reportedly receiving mystical gifts including visions, bilocation, and the ability to go without food for extended periods. She is considered one of the patron saints of the sick and of ice skaters. Her feast day is April 14.
Stored in Cargo: Saint Lydwine
| Saint Lydwine | |
|---|---|
| Feast Day | April 14 |
| Profession | Laywoman; mystic; victim soul |
| Rel. Affiliation | Catholic Church; Dutch Catholic tradition; mystic; patron of the sick; patron of ice skaters; Schiedam |
| Patronage | The chronically ill; those bedridden for long periods; ice skaters (because her illness began in a skating accident); Schiedam; victim souls; those who suffer patiently |
| Attributes | Bed (bedridden); ice (skating accident origin); wounds (stigmata-like suffering); lily (purity); Eucharist (she survived on it alone) |
| Birthplace | Schiedam, Holland, Netherlands |
| Death Place | Schiedam, Holland, Netherlands |
| Cause of Death | Natural death; died April 14, 1433, in Schiedam, after 38 years of illness following her 1396 ice-skating accident; she had been bedridden and partially incapacitated for most of that period |
| Primary Shrine | Church of Saint Lydwine, Schiedam, Netherlands — a pilgrimage site in the Netherlands; her memory is maintained in Schiedam |
| Liturgical Class | Optional Memorial; April 14 |
| Historic Class | Not in universal 1962 calendar; observed in Netherlands and in the tradition of victim souls |
Biography
Lydwine was born on April 18, 1380, in Schiedam, Holland. She was the daughter of a night watchman and grew up in modest circumstances. In 1396, at age 16, she fell while ice skating on the frozen canals, broke a rib, and never recovered.
Her physical condition deteriorated progressively over the following 38 years. She became nearly completely paralyzed, lost sight in one eye, suffered from open wounds, and was bedridden. Contemporary accounts — by her spiritual director Jan Gerlachszoon and others — describe both her physical deterioration and the mystical gifts she apparently received: visions, bilocation, and extended periods without food.
She bore her suffering with patience and even joy, understanding it as participation in Christ's redemptive suffering. Pilgrims came to visit her during her lifetime. She died on April 14, 1433 — which fell on Good Friday that year.
Pope Leo X confirmed her feast in 1523. The French novelist and Catholic convert J.-K. Huysmans wrote her biography (1901), reviving her cult in the modern period.
Significant locations
Legend
Birth location: Schiedam, Holland, Netherlands
Death location: Schiedam, Holland, Netherlands
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Parishes
No parishes dedicated to Lydwine have been added to the database yet.
Media
| Media | Length | AuthorCreator |
|---|---|---|
| Story of Saint Lydwine of Schiedam | Saints and Angels TV | EP 187 | #saintsandangelstv #saints | 5–15 minutes | Saints and Angels TV |
| These Victim Soul Saints are amazing! St. Lydwine and St.Fina (Seraphina) | 5–15 minutes | Wholly Catholic |
Shrines
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Known shrines
- Church of Saint Lydwine, Schiedam, Netherlands — the principal center of her veneration.
Feast day
April 14
Veneration
Saint Lydwine of Schiedam is the patron of the chronically ill and of ice skaters. Her feast is April 14. She is one of the great Dutch mystics and a patron of victim soul spirituality.
Prayers
Authored
There are prayers authored by this saint in prayers list yet.
Intercessory
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