Santa Liduvina had a completely out of the ordinary life. She had to live with a serious illness that made her suffer for decades, leaving her prostrate and suffering a progressive deterioration of her physical abilities. However, countless graces grant the Lord through her, thanks to her patience, her constant prayer, and above all to her generous, loving heart of the Lord. The Catholic Church considers her patron saint of the chronically ill.
Liduvina lived prostrate in a bed from the age of 15, and knew how to make her suffering an offering of love to God for the salvation of men, especially for those who live in constant sin. He discovered in this a way to bear fruit, no doubt a very difficult one, by joining the Passion and Death of Christ.
This Saint was born in Schiedam (Holland) on April 18, 1380, into a humble family. He suffered an accident at a very early age that severely damaged his spine, which led to several diseases that became chronic and worsened over time.
Although he was saddened and wondered why God allowed his suffering, one day he met a good priest, the new rector of his people, Father Pott, who reminded him that God always “loves children more than he does.” suffer” . The priest also presented him with a crucifix, asking him to always remember the Cross and compare himself to Christ as “it must be that suffering leads to holiness.”
After a time of anguish and pain, Liduvina began to meditate on the Blessed Passion of the Lord, and asked Him to give her courage and love to suffer like Him, for the conversion of sinners and the salvation of souls. .
He reached the age of 38 suffering terrible pains from head to toe – in addition a sore was destroying the skin of his back – but having conquered a serene joy, knowing he was loved by the Good Jesus. In his later years he fed daily only on Holy Communion, as evidenced by a document of 1421, signed by the civil authorities of Schiedam, twelve years before his death.
God granted Liduvina the gifts of sometimes predicting the future and healing the sick through prayer. In addition, he had ecstasy and heavenly visions.
On April 14, 1433, Easter Day, the Saint was in deep contemplation and through a vision she saw Christ administering the Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick. A few minutes later he died, but before that he asked for his house to be turned into a hospital for the poor.
Shortly after his death, his tomb became a place of pilgrimage and the following year a chapel was built on it.
The Franciscan priest Joannes Brugmann and the Augustinian canon Thomas de Kempis told the story of his life and spread his devotion.
In 1615 his relics were transported to Brussels, but in 1871 they were returned to Schiedam. On March 14, 1890, Pope Leo XIII approved of his veneration. His feast is celebrated on the 14th of April.
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