Dymphna was very close with her mother and she was taught well about the Catholic faith.Her mother
taught her to love Jesus and Mary dearly and to love purity. Dymphna learned to pray well from the guidance of her mother.Soon her mother fell ill and passed on to her Heavenly home leaving Dymphna with her pagan
father who began to suffer a quick decline of his mental stability.He suffered depression due to missing his wife deeply who had an extraordinary beauty.
Since he admired his daughter's beauty just as how he admired his wife’s beauty;her father's counselors
gave him advice to marry his own daughter so he will not be depressed.He who was not in his state of mind due to high depression agreed to his counselors without finding any sin in his agreement.He thought his daughter would be happy to hear this news and he approached to announce his desire.
Dymphna who heard her father's desire became greatly distress.She kept quiet and did not say a word to her father because she knew her father was suffering from high depression;but her father kept on bothering her until one day with the help of her prayers,she was able to give him an answer.Dymphna asked her father for 40 days to allow her to make her decision and so her father gave her his permission thinking she would agree after the 40 days.
Dymphna on the other hand was guided by the Holy Spirit to seek guidance from her confessor, a priest named Gerebernus who gave her the idea to fled from the castle to secure her purity.She was thankful for his advice and with the help of 2 trusted servants,she quickly fled without her father's knowing to Belgium.She stayed in a small town called Gheel.
There she prepared herself knowing that she gave her father only 40 days to make her decision.She went for frequent masses and confession because there was a Chapel nearby.Soon her father found out that she was no longer at home and knew that she ran away from him.He send his messengers to find her and they searched every where until they found her exactly on the 40 th day.
When he found Dymphna and saw the priest that helped her secure her purity,he became furious and
ordered his servants to behead the priest. Dymphna who was filled with fear but well prepared within the soul kneel down to surrender herself to the sword.Her father tried to persuade her to come back to him and be his wife but she refused.Losing his temper,he drew his sword at her neck and beheaded her in a violent attack.
When she collapsed in a pool of blood,he became afraid and aware of what he had done to his daughter that he quickly ran away with his servants leaving the lifeless body of his daughter and the priest there.
Soon Dymphna was known for her miracles that occured when a group of pilgrims decided to give her
body and that of the priest worthier tombs inside a Chapel.While they were digging for the remains the people were surprised to find the bodies in two coffins of white stone,made out in its own unique way.This gave rise to the legend that the bodies had been interred by angels,since the bodies had been buried by the villagers in a humble manner and because no one had memory of a burial in grand white tombs.On exhuming the remains,a red stone identifying with an inscription :
Miracles and cures began to occur in increasing numbers.Rapidly St. Dymphna’s fame as patroness of victims of nervous diseases and mental disorders was spread throughout the world.More and more mentally afflicted persons were brought to the shrine by relatives and friends,many coming in pilgrimages from far-distant places.Novenas were made in honor of St.Dymphna and St. Dymphna’s relic was applied to the patients and they were cured miraculously.
Dymphna who heard her father's desire became greatly distress.She kept quiet and did not say a word to her father because she knew her father was suffering from high depression;but her father kept on bothering her until one day with the help of her prayers,she was able to give him an answer.Dymphna asked her father for 40 days to allow her to make her decision and so her father gave her his permission thinking she would agree after the 40 days.
Dymphna on the other hand was guided by the Holy Spirit to seek guidance from her confessor, a priest named Gerebernus who gave her the idea to fled from the castle to secure her purity.She was thankful for his advice and with the help of 2 trusted servants,she quickly fled without her father's knowing to Belgium.She stayed in a small town called Gheel.
There she prepared herself knowing that she gave her father only 40 days to make her decision.She went for frequent masses and confession because there was a Chapel nearby.Soon her father found out that she was no longer at home and knew that she ran away from him.He send his messengers to find her and they searched every where until they found her exactly on the 40 th day.
When he found Dymphna and saw the priest that helped her secure her purity,he became furious and
ordered his servants to behead the priest. Dymphna who was filled with fear but well prepared within the soul kneel down to surrender herself to the sword.Her father tried to persuade her to come back to him and be his wife but she refused.Losing his temper,he drew his sword at her neck and beheaded her in a violent attack.
When she collapsed in a pool of blood,he became afraid and aware of what he had done to his daughter that he quickly ran away with his servants leaving the lifeless body of his daughter and the priest there.
Soon Dymphna was known for her miracles that occured when a group of pilgrims decided to give her
body and that of the priest worthier tombs inside a Chapel.While they were digging for the remains the people were surprised to find the bodies in two coffins of white stone,made out in its own unique way.This gave rise to the legend that the bodies had been interred by angels,since the bodies had been buried by the villagers in a humble manner and because no one had memory of a burial in grand white tombs.On exhuming the remains,a red stone identifying with an inscription :
“Here lies the Holy Virgin and Martyr, Dymphna.”
Miracles and cures began to occur in increasing numbers.Rapidly St. Dymphna’s fame as patroness of victims of nervous diseases and mental disorders was spread throughout the world.More and more mentally afflicted persons were brought to the shrine by relatives and friends,many coming in pilgrimages from far-distant places.Novenas were made in honor of St.Dymphna and St. Dymphna’s relic was applied to the patients and they were cured miraculously.
In 1349,a church was built in honor of St. Dymphna in Gheel,by 1480,so many pilgrims were arriving in need of treatment for mental ills,that the church was needed to expand.The expanded sanctuary was eventually overflowing again,leaving the town's people to accept them into their homes,which began a tradition of care for the mentally ill that continues to this day.
By defending her purity,Dymphna received the crown of martyrdom around the year 620 and became known as the "Lily of Éire.One thing she never knew that for all she had done and suffered,she would be rewarded such fame from Jesus.Even her confessor, the priest Gerebernus was canonized as Saint Gerebernus of Sonsbeck but no much has been said about him.Many know him as the priest that accompanied Saint Dymphna in her martyrdom.He was also the one who baptized in her infancy.
Traditionally, Saint Dymphna is often portrayed with a crown on her head, dressed in royal robes, and holding a sword. In modern art, Saint Dymphna is shown holding the sword, which symbolizes her martyrdom.
O Holy Martyr Saint Dymphna,Lily of Eire,intercede for me during times of distress and depression.
Especially in times where hope seems to dissapear from my sight and faith seems to waver.Saint Dymphna,
thou thyself knew distress and was deeply sorrowed when after the death of thy mother; thou were forced to marry thy father that thou fled to secure thy purity.Grant me grace to also secure my purity and to keep myself holy at all times and not to stain my soul with sin.Give peace and protection to those who seek thee and draw many who are in deep sorrow to the comforting heart of Jesus.Amen.
Saint Dymphna,Lily of Eire, pray for us!