It’s the Feast of St. Hedwig, 3rd Class, with the color of White. In this episode: the meditation: “St. Michael in History”, today’s news from the Church: “Corsica: The Desecration of a Statue of the Virgin Mary Sparks Outrage”, and today’s thought from the Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre.
Have feedback or questions about the DD or our other shows? podcast@sspx.org
Sources Used Today:
- “St. Michael in History” — From the Assumption to Advent
- “Corsica: The Desecration of a Statue of the Virgin Mary Sparks Outrage” (FSSPX.news)
- The Spiritual Life — Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre (Angelus Press)
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Saint Hedwig of Silesia was a duchess who lived in a castle, raised a family, and had access to just about every comfort medieval Europe could offer.
Yet she became famous for something rather unusual.
She refused to wear shoes.
Hedwig was born around 1174 into a noble Bavarian family and married Henry the Bearded, Duke of Silesia, while still a young girl. Together they governed a large territory in what is now Poland, raised seven children, and became important supporters of the Church.
But Hedwig had very little interest in living like a wealthy duchess.
She wore simple clothing, fasted frequently, and often walked barefoot, even through the freezing winters of Silesia.
Her confessor eventually ordered her to wear shoes.
Hedwig obeyed, in a manner of speaking.
According to a beloved tradition, she began carrying her shoes in her hands instead of wearing them. When questioned, she could truthfully say she always had them with her.
Apparently, even medieval saints could be clever about following instructions.
But Hedwig’s generosity was much more than a personal exercise in poverty.
She established hospitals, supported monasteries, helped prisoners, and regularly visited poor families. One particularly interesting practice involved people imprisoned for debt. Rather than simply paying their debts and sending them away, Hedwig sometimes arranged work for them so they could support themselves and their families.
She also took a personal interest in the women serving in her household, helping them obtain education, religious instruction, and suitable marriages.
Her greatest foundation was the Cistercian convent at Trzebnica, established with her husband in 1202. It became one of the most important religious houses in medieval Poland.
And her own family experienced considerable suffering.
Several of her children died young, and in 1241 her son Henry II was killed fighting the Mongol invasion at the Battle of Legnica. The defeat was devastating, and much of Silesia feared further destruction.
Hedwig mourned her son, but according to her early biography, she accepted the news with remarkable faith, entrusting him to God’s mercy.
After her husband’s death, she spent much of her remaining life near the convent at Trzebnica, where her daughter Gertrude was abbess. Although Hedwig never formally became a nun, she lived simply among the sisters and continued her works of charity.
She died in 1243.
Today, pilgrims still visit the magnificent Basilica of Saint Hedwig in Trzebnica, where her tomb has been venerated for centuries. She remains one of the great patron saints of Silesia and an important figure in both Polish and German Catholic history.
And there’s something wonderfully memorable about her legacy.
She had a duchess’s wealth, a noble family’s influence, and a castle to live in.
Yet people remembered her bare feet.
Saint Hedwig of Silesia, generous mother of the poor and humble duchess of Christ, pray for us.
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