Saint of the Day – 4 September – St Irmgard of Cologne (c1000-c1065 or c1082-1089) Virgin, Reigning Countess of Süchteln, Recluse, Pilgrim, Founder of many Churches and Apostle of the poor. Born in c1000 in Aspel and died in Cologne, Germany of natural causes, where her Relics now reside behind the High Altar of the magnificent Cologne Cathedral. Also known as – Irmgarde, Irmengarda, Irmgard of Süchteln., Irmgard of Aspe. Additional Memorial – 10 November on some calendars in her locale.
The Roman Martyrology reads: “In Cologne in Lotharingia, in today’s Germany, Saint Irmgarde, who, Sovereign Countess of Süchteln, committed all her assets to the construction of Churches.”
Irmgard was the daughter of Count Godizo of Aspel, in the Lower Rhine, a relative of Saint Henry II, the Emperor and his wife Saint Cunegonde. after her parents died, she distributed her wealth among hospitals, Churches, founding and building new Churches, the poor and needy..
Above her parents’ Tomb, in Rees, Irmgard had a Church built in honour of the Holy Virgin.
Emperor Henry III granted her many lands in Belgium and Holland and, in 1049, Pope Saint Leo IX visited her in Aspel. Shortly afterwards, she left her deceased parent’s house and became a Recluse in Süchteln, where she lived a life in solitude of prayer, fasting and penance.
After a pilgrimage to Rome, Irmgard lived in Cologne, from where on a second pilgrimage, she brought back to Rome, some earth from the Cemetery of Saint Ursula which she would miraculously turn into blood. Irmgard completed three pilgrimages during her life.
Irmgard died around 1089, probably on 4 September in Cologne. Her Tomb is located behind the High Altar in the Cathedral of this City.
Already in 1319 she had the title of Saint and her Feast was celebrated on 4 September and 10 November and her cult flourished, particularly in Cologne, Rees, Süchteln and Aspel, where today there are many Pilgrimages and celebrations on her Feast.
Irmengard is represented as a noble lady with a crown on her head, a model of a Church in one hand, a staff in the other. There are numerous Chruches, Schools, Hospitals, Apostolates and Institutions named after our Saint.
AnaStpaul 
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