Saint Elizabeth was a princess, the daughter of the Andrew, the King of Hungary. As a small child, she was sent to the court of her betrothed husband, Louis, Prince of Thuringia, whom she married when she turned thirteen. Theirs was a happy marriage and they had three children.Louis died young, leaving her a widow. She spent the rest of her life in special care for the poor and sick, tending them herself. Elizabeth died at the age of twenty-four.
Elizabeth is one of the principal patron saints of the Third Order, and is particularly venerated in Germany. Her care for the poor and needy of every condition makes her a fitting patron for our congregation. Our apostolic mission to make the merciful love of Christ visible to those in most need finds in her a ready model and an exceptional intercessor.
When our Province was founded, she was chosen as our patroness. With our service to the sick poor and later to the children, we have taken up her work in the modern time.
Her feast is celebrated in the United States on November 17th and in Germany on November 19th.
Saint Elizabeth, pray for us!
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