St. Radegund’s
Scruton, England
Radegund
518-587
August 13
A Thuringian princess, Radegund was captured by invading Franks about 531 and taken to France, where she was groomed to become one of the wives of Clotaire, who became king of the Franks. Clothaire was a brutal womanizer, and Radegund retreated into pious devotions and care of the sick, which included founding a hospital for those with leprosy, now called Hansen’s disease. In 550 she fled the court, and with help from St. Germanus of Paris, persuaded Clotaire to leave her in peace. She founded a monastery near Poitiers, and spent 30 years there in prayer, scholarship and good works. She became a patron for prisoners like herself, and also for shoemakers and potters because of her monastery chores.
