Saint Dymphna (sometimes known as the lily of fire), grew up and lived in the 7th century and was the daughter of an Irish chief and King and his devoutly Christian wife. At the end of her life and in the end, Dymphna met her ultimate demise at the pink flesh coloured blood stained hands of her very own father, of the King, the King who consumed with insatiable insanity killed her where she stood in all her youthful wisdom.

 

The brief and tragic life of this young women is described to you in the words that follow….

 

The Irish translation of Dymphna’s name is Davnet, which gave its name to Tydavnet in County Monaghan, Ireland. The village of Tydvanet is some ten miles from Clogher, the place of Dymphna’s birth.

 

The story of Saint Dymphna was first recorded in the 13th century by a canon from the church of St Aubert at Cambrai in France. Commissioned to tell of her life by the Bishop of Cambrai Guy I, the canon based his writings on oral stories passed down through the generations.

 

Dymphna was born in the 600s. Her mother was a committed Christian and her father Damon was a King of Oriel (an ancient Kingdom in the northeast of Ireland). Dymphna’s mother died when Dymphna was fourteen years old. Upon the death of Dymphna’s mother, King Damon was grief stricken and torn between the tragedy of the loss he felt and the need to remarry. Knowing he would have to marry again he insisted that his future wife look as similar to Dymphna’s mother as possible.

 

So began the King’s search for a new wife….

 

After some time the King realized that his search was fruitless, there was only ever one woman who could replace his wife and fulfill his personal criteria. The only woman who would look and share the characteristics of his lost love was his daughter, was Dymphna.

 

It did not take long for Dymphna to become aware of her fathers designs for her. Horrified at the idea, she asked for forty days to think about her father’s wishes. After some deliberation and conversation with her confessor, Dymphna decided to flee her father’s court along with her confessor Father Gerebernus and two servants (the court jester and his wife).

 

The idea of marrying her father was abhorrent to her and filled her with fear, therefore the choice of escaping her father’s domain was her only option.

 

After some time travelling from their island to the continent, the party of four arrived at what is now known as the city of Antwerp in Belgium. After resting for a while they continued on and eventually arrived at a small village called Gheel, this being the Germanic name for yellow root. Dymphna and the others were made to feel comfortable and treated well. In optimism they decided to make preparations to call the village of Gheel their home.

 

On discovering that Dymphna had taken flight, King Damon became consumed with anger. With his aides at his side he set off to search for her and those that were responsible in helping her. Eventually he located there whereabouts in the country of Belgium and demanded that Dymphna return with him. Father Gerebernus condemned the King for his wicked intentions. Without hesitation the King demanded that Gerebernus be killed. The Kings aides grabbed hold of Father Gerebernus and one of them struck him with their sword. With one blow his head came clean off his shoulders.

 

The King continued to demand Dymphna’s return and still she remained resolute. She would not enter into such a life, she would not agree to such a maddening life. Angered with his daughters resistance the King took the dagger from his belt and removed the head of his own child from her body. King Damon prayed for his daughter’s soul to be at the mercy of God as her body fell to the ground infront of his feet.

 

And so at the age of 15, Dymphna was no more.

 

Records concerning the story of Dymphna suggest that both her body and the body of Father Gerbernus remained where they fell for some time. Eventually some of the locals at Gheel took the innocently departed bodies to a nearby cave. This was a ritual that was customary at this period in time for those who were seen as martyrs.

 

After some years the villagers of Gheel, remembering their deaths, decided to give the bodies a more appropriate burial. Removing the large stone that covered the entrance to the cave those present were astounded with what they saw….

 

There in the cave were two of the most exquisite tombs the villagers had ever seen, two beautifully white hand carved tombs. The villagers supposed that the tombs must have been hewn from the rock by the very angels themselves.

 

On opening the coffin of St Dymphna the villagers present found a red tile lying, resting on her breast. The tile had on it the inscription, ‘here lies the holy virgin and martyr, Dymphna’.

 

The remains of Dymphna were placed in a small church and the bones of Gerebernus were said to have been removed to Sonsbeck and Xanten in Germany. Sometime later the, ‘Church of St Dymphna’, was erected at the cave where Dymphna and Father Gerebernus had been first buried. In later years an infirmary in Belgium called Lachichiana Harris was built on the site where Dymphna was buried.

 

St Dymphna’s feast day is celebrated every year on the 15th of May. Amongst other causes, Dymphna is the patron saint of those who suffer with mental illness, those who experience incest and people who become victims and or runaways.

 

Patronage

 

‘Lord, our God, you graciously chose Saint Dymphna as patroness of those afflicted with mental and nervous disorders. She is thus an inspiration and a symbol of charity to the thousands who ask her intercession. Please grant, Lord, through the prayers of this pure youthful martyr, relief and consolation to all suffering such trials, and especially those for whom we pray. We beg you, Lord, to hear the prayers of Saint Dymphna on our behalf. Grant all those for whom we pray patience in their sufferings and resignation to your divine will. Please fill them with hope, and grant them the relief and cure they so much desire. We ask this through Christ our Lord who suffered agony in the garden. Amen’