Ida of Nivelles (d. 1232)
Ida of Nivelles (d. 1232)
Belgian abbess. Died in 1232 (some sources cite 1231) at convent of La Ramée, Belgium; never married; no children.
Few facts are certain about Ida of Nivelles' life. She was given by her parents to the Cistercian convent of La Ramée as a little girl, and remained there her entire life. She was exceptionally well educated at the monastery, and grew up a devout woman who was dedicated to writing and preserving holy works. She eventually became closely identified with the large, busy scriptorium (book-production center) of La Ramée, supervising the writing and illustration of manuscripts and performing these functions herself as well. La Ramée produced hundreds of manuscripts a year, for which Ida deserved much of the credit. Ida of Nivelles was a spiritual guide of Beatrice of Nazareth (c. 1200–1268).
Laura York , Riverside, California