Saint Chrodoara was a

Merovingian The Merovingian dynasty () was the ruling family of the Franks from the middle of the 5th century until 751. They first appear as "Kings of the Franks" in the Roman army of northern Gaul. By 509 they had united all the Franks and northern Gauli ...

noblewoman and traditionally the foundress of the Abbey of

Amay Amay (; wa, Ama) is a municipality of Wallonia located in the province of Liège, Belgium. On 1 January 2006 Amay had a total population of approximately 14,231. The total area is 27.61 km2 which gives a population density of approximatel ...

, now in

Wallonia Wallonia (; french: Wallonie ), or ; nl, Wallonië ; wa, Waloneye or officially the Walloon Region (french: link=no, Région wallonne),; nl, link=no, Waals gewest; wa, link=no, Redjon walone is one of the three regions of Belgium—alo ...

Belgium Belgium, ; french: Belgique ; german: Belgien officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a country in Northwestern Europe. The country is bordered by the Netherlands to the north, Germany to the east, Luxembourg to the southeast, France to th ...

. Chrodoara is thought to have been born around the year 560 in Swabia. She was probably married to Bodegisel-Bobo, the son of

Mummolin Mummolin (Latin: ''Mummolinus'') (b. circa 500) was a Frankish nobleman. Life He was a son of Munderic and wife, daughter of Roman Senator Florentinus and wife Artemia. Mayor of the Palace of Neustria. Issue He fathered: * Bodegisel, murdered,< ...

us of

Soissons Soissons () is a commune in the northern French department of Aisne, in the region of Hauts-de-France. Located on the river Aisne, about northeast of Paris, it is one of the most ancient towns of France, and is probably the ancient capital o ...

. If so, she was widowed around 589. After the death of her husband she moved to Amay and devoted her wealth and her time to the church and works of charity. She died sometime before the year 634 and was buried in the Church of Saint George in Amay. The church is now called "Saint George and Saint Ode", where ''Ode'' or ''Oda'', the name dating from the eleventh century, is identified as Chrodoara. Ste Ode

Chrodoara is said to be the mother of Bishop

Arnulf of Metz Arnulf of Metz ( 582 – 645) was a Frankish bishop of Metz and advisor to the Merovingian court of Austrasia. He later retired to the Abbey of Remiremont. In French he is also known as Arnoul or Arnoulf. In English he is known as Arnold. G ...

, and she may have been the grandmother of either

Hugobert Hugobert (also Chugoberctus or Hociobercthus) (died probably in 697) was a seneschal and a count of the palace at the Merovingian court during the reigns of Theuderic III and Childebert III. He was a grandson of the ''dux'' Theotar, and it is ass ...

or of his wife

Irmina of Oeren Irmina of Oeren (also called Ermina and Hirmina; d. 720) was a saint, founder and abbess of a convent in Oeren (now Alveringem in West Belgium), and co-founder of a convent in Echternach (now eastern Luxembourg). Hagiographer Basil Watkins state ...

, and thus the great-grandmother of

Plectrude Plectrude ( la, Plectrudis; german: Plektrud, Plechtrudis) (died 718) was the consort of Pepin of Herstal, the mayor of the palace and duke of the Franks, from about 670. She was the daughter of Hugobert, seneschal of Clovis IV, and Irmina o ...

, wife of

Pepin of Herstal Pepin II (c. 635 – 16 December 714), commonly known as Pepin of Herstal, was a Frankish statesman and military leader who de facto ruled Francia as the Mayor of the Palace from 680 until his death. He took the title Duke and Prince of the Fr ...

, but the evidence is too late to be relied upon. In 1977 Chrodoara's sarcophagus was discovered in the choir of the Church of Saint George and Saint Ode. On the cover she is depicted as an abbess holding a staff. However, although she was a patron and benefactor of the abbey she apparently was not an abbess.

References

7th-century Christian saints Christian female saints of the Middle Ages 7th-century Frankish women People from Amay Pippinids Year of birth uncertain Year of death uncertain {{saint-stub