Saint of the Day – 17 December – Saint Begga of Ardenne (c613-693) Widow,

Saint of the Day – 17 December – Saint Begga of Ardenne (c613-693) Widow, Mother of 3 children, Founder of Churches and a Monastery of which she became the first Abbess. Patronages – Ardenne, against stuttering and of stutterers. Also known as – Begue, Bège, Beghe, Begge.

The Roman Martyrology reads: “At Ardenne, at the Seven Churches, St Begga Widow, sister of St Gertrude of Nivelles.”

Begga was a daughter of the nobles St Pepin of Landen (Died 639) and Saint Iduberga (Died 652). Her sister is the famous Saint Gertrude of Nivelles (Died 659; Feast 17 March). She married Ansegisus, who was the son of Saint Arnold of Metz (Died 641). Their son, Pepin of Herstal (Died 714), would become the ancestor of the Carolingians; he, in turn, was the father of Charles Martel (Died 741), the grandfather of Charlemagne.

After the death of her husband, Begga decided to put her life and her possessions at the service of God. She then made a pilgrimage to Rome. to pray at the Shrines, mostly especially visiting the Seven Pilgrim Churches and after her return, she built seven Churches in the Town of Andenne aan de Maas, in imitation of them. In 691, Begga founded a Monastery at one of these Churches. She led it as Abbess until her death.

Begga is the Patron Saint of the Town of Ardenne and she is also the Patron Saint of stutterers and against stuttering (because her name resembles the French word ‘bègues = stutterers’).

In art she is depicted as a Queen (sometimes with three crowns); as Abbess, often holding seven Churches or a Church with seven towers.

The Collegiate Church of Andenne later grew from the seven Churches (or Chapels). Not far from there flowed a spring – it is called ‘Fountain of Sinte Begga’ after her. Its water is miraculously hot in winter and cold in summer.

Special Note: There are two Saints named Gertrude, one called “the Great” and the other from Nivelles.
They are often confused, especially since they were both Nuns and appeared quite alike.
However, they lived more than 600 years apart – St Gertrude the Great (1256-1302) born in Germany not too far from the Belgium of St Gertrude of Nivelles (626-659). The latter often has a special symbol in artworks, that of the mouse on her staff.