BASILICA OF ST IDA

HERZFELD, LIPPETAL

GERMANY

A young noble lady Ida, probably closely related to Carolingians, dedicated her life to the poor after an apparently happy marriage and the death of her husband in 811. Together with her husband they founded the church in Herzfeld, today's Lippetal, and they are both buried there. Ida is the patroness of pregnant women, brides, widows, poor and weak.

"His God loving wife Ida used to stay there often and most eagerly occupied herself with new works for the glory of God.”

- Uffing: Vita Sanctae Idae

I stopped here not knowing anything about the place, its history, or its patroness. It was a beautiful weekday morning, the small town was sleepy and I had time to use the visit to study the history of the church and the life of St Ida. Deep from the medieval legends stood up the image of the saint who decided to step out of the ordinary paths of her generation.

LINKS

Website (German): https://www.sanktida.de/

Wikipedia (German): https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wallfahrtskirche_St._Ida_(Herzfeld)

St Ida - Wikipedia (English): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ida_of_Herzfeld

VISITS

February 15, 2017