St Elizabeth of Portugal - July 4th

A.K.A. Elizabeth of Aragon (1271 – July 4, 1336) was queen consort of Portugal and a Secular Franciscan. Elizabeth is usually depicted in royal garb with a dove or an olive branch to symbolize both her royal heritage and her commitment to peace. She with was born in either Zaragoza or Barcelona.

Elizabeth was dedicated to the Divine Office and to living a life of penance. She fasted and attended Mass twice a day. She was friend to pilgrims, strangers, the sick, the poor and anyone who needed her help. She remained devoted to her husband despite his sometimes outrageous infidelity which caused scandal to their kingdom.

She married King Denis of Portugal in 1288. Denis was 26 years old, while Elizabeth was seventeen.

She repeatedly fought for peace between Denis and their rebellious son, Alfonso, who thought that he was passed over to favor the king's many illegitimate children. In fact, in 1323, Elizabeth mounted on a mule and positioned herself between the armies of her husband and son in order to impede them. Because of her bravery, peace returned in the country a year later.

Because of her prayers, Denis ultimately gave up his sinful life.

After Denis' death in 1325, Elizabeth retired to the convent of the Poor Clares, which she had founded in 1314, and is now known as the Monastery of Santa Clara-a-Velha in Coimbra.

Where she devoted the rest of her life to the poor and sick. During the great famine in 1293, she donated flour from her cellars to the poor of Coimbra. She also distributed small gifts to them and paid the dowries of poor girls, educated the children of poor nobles. In addition, she was the benefactor of various hospitals (Coimbra, Santarém and Leira) and religious projects (such as the Trinity Convent in Lisbon, chapels in Leira and Óbidos, and the cloister in Alcobaça.

Miracles were reported immediately after her death. She was beatified in 1526 and canonized by Pope Urban VIII on May 25, 1625.

Elizabeth was devoted to following the Lord of Peace even to the point of putting herself in harm's way. She also sought out His face in the face of the poor. This was a result of her putting aside herself and seeking instead love for others, especially the needy.