Dymphna - Wikipedia 29/08/2017, 11:18

Dymphna
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Saint Dymphna (also: Dympna, Dimpna, Dymphnart,

Damnat, from Gaelic Damh=stag and ait=little, i.e. "fawn".) Saint Dymphna
(pronounced "Dimf-nah")[1] is a Catholic saint. According to
tradition, she lived in the 7th century and was the daughter of
a pagan Irish king and his Christian wife. She was murdered
by her father.

The story of Saint Dymphna was first recorded in the 13th

century by a canon of the Church of St. Aubert at Cambrai,
France. It was commissioned by Guiard of Laon (1238–
1248), the Bishop of Cambrai.

The author expressly stated that his work was based upon a
long-standing oral tradition and a persuasive history of
miraculous healings of the mentally ill.[2]

Contents
The beheading of Saint Dymphna by Godfried Maes
1 Story of her life and death The Lily of Éire
2 Medieval traditions
3 Veneration Born 7th century
4 Patronage Ireland
5 See also Died 7th century
6 References
Geel, Belgium
7 External links
Venerated in Roman Catholic Church
Feast 15 May (30 May in the 2004
Story of her life and death Martyrologium Romanum)
Attributes crown, sword, lily, lamp
According to Christian tradition, Dymphna was born in
Patronage mental disorders, neurological
Ireland in the 7th century. Dymphna's father Damon, a petty
disorders, runaways, victims of
king of Oriel, was a pagan, but her mother was a devout
Christian. incest, depression, anxiety

When Dymphna was 14 years old, she consecrated herself to Christ and took a vow of chastity. Shortly
thereafter, her mother died. Damon had loved his wife deeply, and in the aftermath of her death his mental
health sharply deteriorated. Eventually the king's counsellors pressed him to remarry. Damon agreed, but only
on the condition that his bride would be as beautiful as his deceased wife. After searching fruitlessly, Damon
began to desire his daughter because of her strong resemblance to her mother.

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When Dymphna learned of her father's intentions she swore to uphold her vows, and fled his court along with
her confessor Father Gerebernus, two trusted servants and the king's fool. Together they sailed towards the
continent, eventually landing in what is present-day Belgium, where they took refuge in the town of Geel.[2]

One tradition states that once settled in Geel, Saint Dymphna built a hospice for the poor and sick of the region.
However, it was through the use of her wealth that her father would eventually ascertain her whereabouts, as
some of the coins used enabled her father to trace them to Belgium.[2] Damon sent his agents to pursue his
daughter and her companions. When their hiding place was discovered, Damon travelled to Geel to recover his
daughter. Damon ordered his soldiers to kill Father Gerebernus and tried to force Dymphna to return with him
to Ireland, but she resisted. Furious, Damon drew his sword and struck off his daughter's head. She was said to
have been 15 years old when she died.[3] After Dymphna and Gerebernus were martyred, the residents of Geel
buried them in a nearby cave. Years later, they decided to move the remains to a more suitable location. Some of
her remains are at the Shrine to Saint Dymphna in the United States.[1]

Medieval traditions
In 1349 a church honouring Saint Dymphna was built in Geel. By 1480, so many pilgrims were coming from all
over Europe, seeking treatment for the mentally ill, that the church housing for them was expanded. Soon the
sanctuary for the mad was again full to overflowing, and the townspeople began taking them into their own
homes. Thus began a tradition for the ongoing care of the mentally ill that has endured for over 500 years and is
still studied and envied today. Patients were, and still are, taken into the inhabitants of Geel's homes. Never
called patients, they are called boarders, and are treated as ordinary and useful members of the town.[4] They are
treated as members of the host family. They work, most often in menial labour, and in return, they become part
of the community.[5] Some stay a few months, some decades, some for their entire lives. At its peak in the
1930s, over 4,000 'boarders' were housed with the town's inhabitants.[6][7]

Veneration
The remains of Saint Dymphna were later put into a silver
reliquary and placed in a church in Geel named in her honour.
The remains of Saint Gerebernus were moved to Xanten,
Germany. [8] During the late 15th century the original St.
Dymphna Church in Geel burned down. A second "Church of
St. Dymphna" was then built and consecrated in 1532. The
church still stands on the site where her body is believed to have
first been buried.

According to tradition, miracles occurred immediately after her

tomb was discovered. A number of people with epilepsy, mental
illness or to have been 'under evil influence' who visited the
St. Dymphna Church, Geel, Belgium
tomb of Dymphna were said to have been cured. The saint is
invoked as patroness against mental illness.[8]

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Saint Dymphna's feast day is 15 May.[9]

Saint Dymphna is known as the Lily of Éire, due to her spotless virtue. She is traditionally portrayed wearing a
crown, dressed in ermine and royal robes, and holding a sword. In modern versions she holds the sword
awkwardly, as it symbolises her martyrdom, but in the older versions seen on numerous statues and stained
glass images, her sword is pricking the neck of a demon; symbolising her title of Demon Slayer. She is also
often portrayed holding a lamp, with the chained devil at her feet.[10]

Some modern holy cards portray Dymphna in green and white, holding a book and white lilies.

Patronage
St. Dymphna is the patron saint of the nervous, emotionally disturbed, mentally ill, and those who suffer
neurological disorders - and, consequently, of psychologists, psychiatrists, and neurologists. She is also the
patron saint of victims of incest.[9]

The US National Shrine of St. Dymphna was located at St. Mary's Catholic Church in Massillon, Ohio.[1] It was
destroyed by a fire in 2015, and reopened in December 2016. St. Dymphna's Special School is located in
Ballina, County Mayo, Republic of Ireland and operates under the patronage of Western Care Association.[11]

See also
List of Catholic saints

References
1. National Shrine of St. Dymphna, Massilon, Ohio (https://natlshrinestdymphna.org/site/)
2. "Saint Dymphna: Wonderworker of Gheel, May 15th" (http://www.saintsmaryandmarthaorthodoxmonaste
ry.org/newsletter_Jan2006.html). Wagener, South Carolina: Saints Mary and Martha Orthodox
Monastery. January 2006. Retrieved 31 December 2013.
3. Benedictine Convent Sisters, Clyde, Missouri, "Tabernacle and Purgatory" May 1946 (https://natlshrinest
dymphna.org/history.php) Archived (https://web.archive.org/web/20121112230227/https://natlshrinestdy
mphna.org/history.php) 12 November 2012 at the Wayback Machine.
4. Jay, Mike (9 January 2014). "The Geel question" (http://aeon.co/magazine/health/the-town-where-the-me
ntally-ill-get-a-warm-welcome/). Aeon.
5. Wells, Karin (9 March 2014). "Psychiatric community care: Belgian town sets gold standard" (http://www
.cbc.ca/news/world/psychiatric-community-care-belgian-town-sets-gold-standard-1.2557698). CBC
News. CBC/Radio-Canada. Retrieved 10 April 2015.
6. Goldstein, J. "Geel, Belgium: A Model of ‘Community Recovery’" (http://faculty.samford.edu/~jlgoldst).
Birmingham, AL: Psychology Department, Samford University.
7. Dr.Srole, Hobart/William Smith College, Geneva N.Y.
8. Kirsch, Johann Peter. "St. Dymphna." The Catholic Encyclopedia (http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/052
21b.htm) Vol. 5. New York: Robert Appleton Company, 1909. 1 December 2015]
9. "St. Dymphna", Franciscan Mission Associates (http://www.franciscanmissionassoc.org/requests_stdymp
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9. "St. Dymphna", Franciscan Mission Associates (http://www.franciscanmissionassoc.org/requests_stdymp

hna.cfm)
10. Catholic Exchange. com.
11. St. Dymphna's Special School, Ballina (http://stdymphnas.net/index.html)

External links
"St. Dymphna" (http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/05221b.htm). Catholic Encyclopedia. 1913.

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