St. Elizabeth of Portugal
Feast day: July 4 (Celebrated July 5 in the U.S.A.)
A native of Aragon, Spain, Elizabeth was the daughter of King Peter III. She was wed at the age of 12 to King Denis of Portugal, who was abusive and unfaithful to her. Overcoming the difficulties of her marriage, she earned the respect of the monarchs of the Iberian Peninsula for her abilities to negotiate ends to disputes and conflicts, in particular those among the monarchs of Castile, Aragon and Portugal. For these efforts, she was called “the Peacemaker.” When Denis died in 1325, Elizabeth entered the Poor Clares as a Franciscan tertiary. She was canonized in 1625 and is patron of the Third Order of St. Francis.
Collect
O God, author of peace and lover of charity,
who adorned Saint Elizabeth of Portugal
with a marvelous grace for reconciling those in conflict,
grant, through her intercession,
that we may become peacemakers,
and so be called children of God.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
God, for ever and ever.
