![[Saint Gertrude holy card]](saintg14.jpg "12kb jpg holy card of Saint Gertrude, artist unknown; thanks Father Eugene; pleae do not write to ask about the image")
Known for her hospitality to pilgrims and aid to Irish missionary monks. She gave land to Saint Foillan, on which he built the monastery of Fosses. Helped Saint Ultan in his evangelization. In 656, Gertrude resigned her office in favor of her niece, Saint Wilfetrudis, and spent the rest of her days studying Scripture and doing penance. Mystic. Visionary. Died at the significant age of 33, the age of Our Lord at His death.
The cultus of Saint Gertrude spread widely in the Lowlands, neighboring countries, and England, and folklore attached to her name. As late as 1822, offerings of gold and silver mice were left at her shrine in Cologne; mice represented souls in Purgatory, to whom she had a great devotion. Patron of gardeners because fine weather on her feast day meant it was time to begin spring planting. Her patronage of travellers comes from her hospitality to pilgrims. Invoked as a patroness of those who had recently died, who were popularly supposed to experience a three-day journey to the next world; they spent the first night under the care of Gertrude, and the second under Michael the Archangel.
There is a legend that one day she sent some of her subjects to a distant country, promising that no misfortune would befall them on the journey; when they were on the ocean, a large sea-monster threatened to capsize their ship, but disappeared upon the invocation of Saint Gertrude. In memory of this occurence travellers during the Middle ages drank the so-called "Sinte Geerts Minne" or "Gertrudenminte" before setting out on their journey.
against insanity against mental disorders against mental illness against mice against rats against suriphobia cats fear of mice fear of rats fever for accomodations gardeners mentally ill people pilgrims recently dead people suriphobics to obtain lodging while travelling travellers
abbess with mice running up her pastoral staff abbess with mice at her feet abbess with mice running up her cloak holding a large mouse spinning holding a distaff with a cat near her
Book of Saints, by the Monks of Ramsgate Catholic Encyclopedia Catholic Online Ecole Glossary For All The Saints Google Directory Our Sunday Visitor's Encyclopedia of Saints, by Matthew Bunson, Margaret Bunson, and Stephen Bunson