St. Elizabeth of Hungary: A Life of Service

By Marilyn Bowers Gorun

Early in the 13th century, Princess Elizabeth of Hungary (Slovakia today), from the age of four, grew up in the court of Thüringen, a state in what is now Germany. She was given in marriage to Ludwig (Louis), the ruler of Thüringen, when Elizabeth was just fourteen, a common practice at the time. Ludwig (Louis) was twenty-one and had begun his reign at the age of sixteen. The marriage was happy and the couple was soon known for charitable works instigated by Elizabeth and supported by Ludwig.

When Elizabeth was sixteen, she made the acquaintance of a group of Franciscan friars. Inspired by St. Francis’s way of life, Elizabeth asked one of the friars to become her spiritual director. She then chose to live an even more spiritual life of prayer and sacrifice; she dressed simply and gave away many of her possessions. When Ludwig was traveling on business for Fredrick II, the Roman emperor, Elizabeth managed his territory while increasing her works of charity for the poor and sick of the area.

However, while preparing for a crusade to the Holy Land, Ludwig became ill and died. At the age of twenty Elizabeth became a widow with two young children and a third on the way. Elizabeth had to fight to regain her dowry; with it she continued her charity work and built a hospital for people who were poor. The hospital staff cared for nearly a thousand people at a time. The need was great as famine and the plague raged across the land.

In 1228, with her children provided and cared for, Elizabeth gave away most of her wealth and joined the Third Order of St. Francis. She continued to care for patients in the hospital she had founded until her own health declined, perhaps from physical exhaustion due to her tireless care for others. She died around the time of her twenty-fourth birthday. After her death, many miracles of healing took place at her grave in the hospital chapel. She was named a saint only four years later.

Elizabeth is the patron saint of hospitals, nurses, Catholic Charities, and the Secular Franciscan Order. Over the centuries many hospitals were named after her, often built and staffed by communities of Franciscans. Elizabeth is an example of a young person who chose to live in service to others. Her feast day is celebrated on November 17.

Prayer to St. Elizabeth

Devoted servant of Christ, you chose a life of humility and service despite your royal birth. Through your love for the poor and sick, you showed us the true meaning of charity and faith. Help us to follow your example, serving others with compassion and bearing life’s trials with patience. We ask for your intercession to guide us in living lives of holiness and love. May we, like you, care for those in need and always seek a deeper relationship with Christ through our acts of mercy and kindness. Amen.

Image: Upper tier on the south wall of St. Joseph Chapel