Month of Saints - Day 9
Today I have chosen to feature St. Kunegunda (alternate spelling Cunegund - also known as St. Kinga) just because I like her name.
The Hungarian royal family of the thirteenth century was a family of Saints. St. Knuegunda was the daughter of King Bela IV, King of Hungary, whose sister was St. Elizabeth of Hungary (my confirmation Saint). Other saintly relatives include St. Hedwig and St. Agnes of Prague, Blessed Jolents (Yolanda) and Blessed Margaret were sisters of St. Kunegunda; St. Elizabeth (Isabella) of Portugal and Blessed Salomea were her nieces.
At about the age of 14, Kunegunda was married to Boleslaus V, prince of Krakow and later of Poland. Tradition is that the spouses practiced a Josephite marriage- living together for 40 years as chaste virgins. Having no natural children, Kunegunda was a mother to her people, caring for the poor, the sick and the oppressed.
At the death of her husband in 1279, Kunegunda refused to take over the regency. She instead founded a Poor Clare monastery in Stary Sacz and lived there as a guest for eight years before joining as a sister. In the monastery, she was known for her humility, carrying out the lowliest tasks. Her cloistered life lasted 13 years before her death. Her feast day is July 24.
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