Today I love Saint Dymphna, patron of those with anxiety & mental illness, as well as victims of incest, & sexual abuse.
As a person who struggles with profound OCD, I consider Dymphna my patron saint, & I find her story remarkably comforting. She was born in Ireland, to the Petty King of Oriel, & a Christian mother. She took a vow of chastity at 14, shortly before her mother passed away.
Her father began to consider forcing her to become his wife, due to her resemblance to her mother. She learned of this, & fled to Belgium, with a small group of trusted servants.
When there, in Geel, she established a hospice for the poor & sick. Through this action, her father learned of her whereabouts, & when she would not return to Ireland with him, he beheaded her.
A church built in her honor later became so full with pilgrims who were seeking treatment, that a tradition was established where local people would take in those suffering from mental illness or disability, in order to allow them to live in the community. A tradition that still exists today, in honor of Saint Dymphna.
Being such a young girl when she suffered such terror, & when she offered her wealth to those in need, she surely hears the petitions of those who struggle in kind. She is known as the Lily of Geel, for her impact on the city.
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