St. Ursula

 For the letter 'U', I will tell you a little bit about a Saint that many of you may have heard of but may not know that much about. Actually, no one really knows that much about St. Ursula.

The name Ursula means little female bear in Latin. According to medieval legend, Ursula was a Romano-British princess. At the request of her father, she set sail for the continent, with 11,000 virginal handmaids, to join her future husband. Upon reaching Gaul, Ursula declared that she was going to make a pilgrimage before her marriage. She and her followers set out for Rome and then for Cologne. The city of Cologne was being besieged by Huns and all of Ursula's handmaidens were beheaded in a massacre. Ursula herself was fatally shot with an arrow by the leader of the Huns. The massacre happened in about 383 AD.

It is doubtful if much, if any, of this story is true. The earliest evidence of a cult of holy martyred virgins at Cologne is an inscription from about 400in the Church of St. Ursula saying that the church was built on the site where holy virgins were killed. The details of the story mainly date from the late middle ages and differ from one source to another. 

Despite the questionable authenticity of her legend, the fruit of Ursula's martyrdom is undeniable. The Ursuline Sisters were named in her honor. The Order of Ursulines was founded in 1535 by Angela Merici, and devoted to the education of young girls. Ursulines have convents and schools all over the world. The first Ursulines arrived in Canada in 1639 and in Mobile, Alabama in 1719. Ursuline Academy in New Orleans is the oldest continually operating Catholic school in the United States and the oldest girls school in the United States. 

St. Ursula's feast day is October 21. Her patronages include archers, orphans and female students.