St. Amelia

Amelia is the patroness of farmers and fisherman. She was born in Ardennes (near Luxembourg) in 741 of devout parents and early decided to enter the Benedictine Abbey at Munsterbilsen. However, she came to the attention of Charles, son of Pepin, King of the Franks. The prince, who would be known to history as Charlemagne, persisted in his romantic attentions to her despite her unwillingness and at one point broke her arm in a struggle. Amelia’s arm was miraculously healed and Charlemagne reluctantly let her pursue her vocation. She founded a church at Temsche, some 15 miles from Antwerp and became known for her virtue and her miracles. A legend says that she crossed the Schelde River standing on the back of a fish and she is sometimes depicted standing on the back of a fish with a staff in one hand and a bible in the other. She died in 772 and is invoked for problems with the arms and shoulders and by young people struggling to be faithful to Christ. Her feast day is July 10.