St. Elizabeth is usually depicted in royal garb with a dove or an olive branch. At her birth in 1271, her father, Pedro III, future king of Aragon, was reconciled with his father, James, the reigning monarch. This proved to be a portent of things to come. Under the healthful influences surrounding her early years, she quickly learned self-discipline and acquired a taste for spirituality. Thus fortunately prepared, she was able to meet the challenge when, at the age of 12, she was given in marriage to Denis, king of Portugal. She was able to establish for herself a pattern of life conducive to growth in God’s love, not merely through her exercises of piety, including daily Mass, but also through her exercise of charity, by which she was able to befriend and help pilgrims, strangers, the sick, the poor—in a word, all those whose need came to her notice. At the same time she remained devoted to her husband, whose infidelity to her was a scandal to the kingdom.

He too was the object of many of her peace endeavors. She long sought peace for him with God, and was finally rewarded when he gave up his life of sin. She repeatedly sought and effected peace between the king and their rebellious son, Alfonso, who thought that he was passed over to favor the king’s illegitimate children. She acted as peacemaker in the struggle between Ferdinand, king of Aragon, and his cousin James, who claimed the crown. And finally from Coimbra, where she had retired as a Franciscan tertiary to the monastery of the Poor Clares after the death of her husband, she set out and was able to bring about a lasting peace between her son Alfonso, now king of Portugal, and his son-in-law, the king of Castile.

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4 COMMENTS

  1. My Queen, my protector, I am so grateful for all that you has given me!
    Please grant my request, help me to achieve my dreams and achieve my profissional goals. Also, protect my family forever, and my love, opening our ways. Keep us together, as a family, in a harmonious marriage.
    Many thanks for Divine that you are and you give to all!

  2. St. Elizabeth, please intercede for my youngest son to get the job he’s been waiting for and be successful, and for my 2 sons to have blessed, happy and loving family, bless and protect us, grant that on my birhtday, I will receive the financial gifts I’ve been praying for so I can fulfill my dreams for my family and be free to give my life to our Lord Jesus and Mama Mary my service according to their Will, peace to the World, Amen.

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