Rictrude (Rictrudis, Richtrudis, Richrudis) (c. 614–688) was abbess of

Marchiennes Abbey Marchiennes Abbey was a French monastery located on the Scarpe in Marchiennes. It was founded around 630 by Adalbard of Douai, and Irish monks, disciples of Saint Columbanus, on the advice of Saint Amand. One of its founders was Rictrude, who ...

, in

Flanders Flanders (, ; Dutch: ''Vlaanderen'' ) is the Flemish-speaking northern portion of Belgium and one of the communities, regions and language areas of Belgium. However, there are several overlapping definitions, including ones related to cultu ...

. The main early source for her life is the ''Vita Rictrudis'', commissioned by the abbey, and written in 907 by

Hucbald Hucbald ( – 20 June 930; also Hucbaldus or Hubaldus) was a Benedictine monk active as a music theorist, poet, composer, teacher, and hagiographer. He was long associated with Saint-Amand Abbey, so is often known as Hucbald of St Amand. Deeply i ...

Life

She was from a noble family in Gascony, the daughter of Ernoldo, lord of Toulouse."Sant 'Adalbaldo", Santi e Beati, November 1, 2008
/ref> She married Adalbard, Duke of Douai, despite the opposition of some members of her family. In Hucbald's account, this is shown deliberately as a model marriage. It is unclear whether she had four or five children. Her four known children were: Clotsinda, successor as abbess, Adalsinda, Eusebia and Maurantius. The couple opened their castle to the poor and disadvantaged. The hermit-monk

Richarius Richarius (; – April 26, 645) was a Frankish hermit, monk, and the founder of two monasteries. He is venerated as a saint in the Roman Catholic Church, and Eastern Orthodox Church. Life Riquier's ''vita'' was probably written at the ...

was a family friend. Around the year 630, Adalbald founded

, on the advice of

Amandus Amandus ( 584 – 679), commonly called Saint Amand, was a bishop of Tongeren-Maastricht and one of the great Christian missionaries of Flanders. He is venerated as a saint, particularly in France and Belgium. Life The chief source of details ...

of Maastricht. In 643, Rictrude made it a

double monastery A double monastery (also dual monastery or double house) is a monastery combining separate communities of monks and of nuns, joined in one institution to share one church and other facilities. The practice is believed to have started in the East ...

. Adalbard was murdered in obscure circumstances around 652, near Périgueux during a subsequent expedition to Aquitaine, probably by his wife's relatives still bitter about the marriage to an enemy of her people. After her husband's death, Rictrude resisted royal pressure to remarry and retired to Marchiennes Abbey, with her daughters and became abbess. In this she was supported by Amandus, Abbot of Elnon. Rectrude died in 688. Rictrude is recognized as a Catholic saint; her feast day is 12 May. Her four children are also saints.

Clotsinda

Born around 638, Clotsinda was a younger daughter of Rictrude and Adalbard duke of

Douai Douai (, , ,; pcd, Doï; nl, Dowaai; formerly spelled Douay or Doway in English) is a city in the Nord département in northern France. It is a sub-prefecture of the department. Located on the river Scarpe some from Lille and from Arras, Dou ...

, In 688, she succeeded her mother as the second abbess of the

. She died around 714. Her siblings Maurontius, Adalsinda and Eusebia are also honored as saints. Her feast day is of May 5; Closinda is especially venerated in

. In the Orthodox faith, she is commemorated on June 30."30 Juin", Orthodoxie
/ref>

References

Sources

*Jo Ann McNamara, John E. Halborg, E. Gordon Whatley (1992), ''Sainted Women of the Dark Ages'', pp. 195–219 {{Authority control 688 deaths 7th-century Frankish saints 7th-century Frankish women Year of birth unknown Christian female saints of the Middle Ages Colombanian saints