Saint of the Day – 28 September – Saint Lioba of Bischofsheim

Saint Lioba of Bischofsheim, also known as Lioba of Wimborne, Leoben, Liobgytha, Liobgetha, Truthgeba, was an Anglo-Saxon Benedictine nun born in 710 in Wessex, England as Truthgeba (‘God’s gift’). A relative of Saint Boniface, she was born to noble parents who had long prayed for a child.

She was educated at the convent of Minster-in-Thanet in Wimborne in Dorset, England. She was a nun at Wimborne at a time when Saint Tetta of Wimborne served as abbess.

In 748 Lioba led a group of 30 nuns, one of whom was Saint Agatha of Wimborne, to Germany to help the missionary work of Saint Boniface and found convents. They based their work at Bischofsheim in Würzburg, Franconia, followed the Benedictine Rule, and Lioba served as abbess. This holy woman was noted for her intelligence, her endless optimism and positive attitude for the work, and her constant study of the scriptures. Her work and the houses she founded were instrumental in the conversion of Germany to Christianity.

Lioba retired from her position in 776 only to start another house Schornsheim, Mainz. She visited the court of Charlemagne in Aachen, Germany and became a close friend of Empress Hildegard.

In her later years, she retired with a few other Anglo-Saxon nuns to an estate near Mainz in Schornsheim. The estate was given by Charlemagne for her exclusive use. She died on or about 28 September 782. Saint Boniface’s will had originally designated that Leoba was to be buried in his own tomb. When Lioba died, however, she was placed in a tomb near his. She was acclaimed for many miracles: saving a village from fire; saving a town from a terrible storm by turning aside lightning; protecting the reputation of the nuns in her convent; and saving the life of a fellow nun who was gravely ill – all accomplished through prayer.

Lioba’s grave was the site of many miracles. These miracles include: freeing a man of tightly bound iron rings around his arms and curing a man from Spain of his twitching disorder. Due to these miracles, some of which were witnessed by Rudolf, her relics were translated twice to ensure their safety and are now behind an altar in a church dedicated to Mary and the virgins of Christ in Petersberg near Fulda.