Hildegunde of Meer, Bl.

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HILDEGUNDE OF MEER, BL.

Foundress; d. Meer, near Neuss, Germany, Feb. 6,1183. She was born Countess of Liedberg, and married Count Lothair of Are and Meer. One of her sons, Herman, was the Premonstratensian abbot of Cappenberg from 1171 to 1210. Another son, Theodoric, participated in the sack of Rome with Emperor frederick i barbarossa (1167), burning the church of St. Lawrence. Hildegunde had entered the premonstratensians after the death of her husband in 1165, and founded the convent of Meer, where she became first prioress. After the sack of Rome she built a replica of St. Lawrence's, at Meer, in expiation for the sacrilege of her son. After her death her daughter Hedwig succeeded as prioress. Though both are recognized as venerable, their cult was never approved.

Feast: Feb. 6.

Bibliography: Acta Sanctorum, Feb. 1:925926; for Hedwig, April 2:263264. a. butler, The Lives of the Saints 1:265266. j. bremer, Das kurkölnische Amt Liedberg (Möchen-Gladbach 1930) 5154. n. backmund, Monasticon Praemonstratense 1:182511.

[n. backmund]

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