Wilgefortis
Sign in to saveAlso known as Virgeforte, Débarras, Gehülpe, Liberate, Livrade, Comeria, Kümmernis, Librada
Wilgefortis () is a female folk saint whose legend arose in the 14th century, and whose distinguishing feature is a large beard. According to the legend of her life, set in Portugal and Galicia, she was a teenage noblewoman who had been promised in marriage by her father to a Moorish king. To thwart the unwanted wedding, she had taken a vow of virginity, and prayed that she would be made repulsive. In answer to her prayers she sprouted a beard, which ended the engagement. In anger, Wilgefortis' father had her crucified.
Key facts
- Saint.honorific_prefix
- Saint
- Saint.name
- Wilgefortis
- Saint.feast_day
- 20 July
- Saint.venerated_in
- Folk Catholicism
- Saint.image
- Hl Kümmernis süddeutsch.jpg
- Saint.imagesize
- 230px
- Saint.caption
- Saint Wilgefortis, 18th century German painting
- Saint.titles
- Virgin and martyr
- Saint.canonized_date
- Pre-Congregation
- Saint.attributes
- Bearded woman; depicted crucified, often shown with a small fiddler at her feet, and with one shoe off
- Saint.patronage
- Relief from tribulations, in particular by women who wished to be liberated from abusive husbands
- Saint.major_shrine
- Sigüenza Cathedral, Spain
via Wikipedia infobox
~6 min read
Encyclopedic overview
7 sectionsContents
- History
- Veneration
- See also
- Notes
- References
- Further reading
- External links
Wilgefortis () is a female folk saint whose legend arose in the 14th century, and whose distinguishing feature is a large beard. According to the legend of her life, set in Portugal and Galicia, she was a teenage noblewoman who had been promised in marriage by her father to a Moorish king. To thwart the unwanted wedding, she had taken a vow of virginity, and prayed that she would be made repulsive. In answer to her prayers she sprouted a beard, which ended the engagement. In anger, Wilgefortis' father had her crucified.
Her name is thought to have derived from the Latin "virgo fortis" ("courageous virgin"). In England her name was Uncumber, and in Dutch Ontkommer (meaning one who avoids something, here specifically other people from suffering).
Excerpted from Wikipedia’s “Wilgefortis” article, available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 licence.