Saint of the Day – 10 July – St Amalberge of Mauberge

Saint of the Day – 10 July – St Amalberge of Mauberg – also known as:   Amalburga of Temse, Amalberga, Amalia, Amelberg, Amelia – (Born in the seventh century in Brabant, Belgium –  Died in 690). She is buried beside her husband at the monastery at Lobbes, Belgium and her relics have been in Saint Peter’s abbey church in Ghent, Belgium since 1073.   Patronage – against arm pain, against bruises, against fever, of farmers, fever victims, Ghent, Belgium.   Attributes – crown, fish, geese, sieve, woman holding a palm and open book, woman standing on a giant sturgeon or other fish, woman with a crown at her feet.

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St Amalberga, otherwise Amelia, was born at Brabant and was related to Pepin of Landen. Whether she was a sister or niece, the Bollandists are not sure. She was married to Witger and became the mother of three saints: Gudila, Reinelda, and Emembertus.

The Norman chroniclers speak of her as having been married twice, which seems to be erroneous. She and her husband ultimately withdrew from the world; he becoming a monk and she a nun. There is very great confusion in the records of this saint and of a virgin who came a century after. To add to the difficulty a third St. Amalberga, also a virgin, appears in the twelfth century.

She died in 690 and is buried beside her husband at the Lobbes monastery. Her relics have been in Saint Peter’s abbey church in Ghent, Belgium since 1073. She is known to protect people against arm pain, bruises, and fever.

It is said that she once crossed a lake by riding on the back of a giant sturgeon, which led to her representation on or with a fish.