St. Odilia
Saint Odilia
About the year 300, Saint Odilia and ten other virgins set out from England on a pilgrimage to the East. By accident or plan the ship in which they sailed went up the Rhine. They were captured by some soldiers and taken to Cologne. There the young women were killed in defense of their Christian faith and their purity. St. Odilia's future role as the Patroness of the Order of the Holy Cross is pictured by the Crosier standard and her motto, "I have chosen the cross."
St. Louis of France helps found the Parish House
The Paris house of the Crosiers is very important in the history of Saint Odilia. It was here that she appeared to John of Eppa with her special message. The Crosier community was founded in Paris in 1258. King St. Louis was particularly interested in the Order of the Holy Cross because of his great devotion to the Passion of Christ. Construction of the Church was begun about the year 1268.
Saint Odilia appears to Brother John in Paris
In the spring of 1287, Saint Odilia appeared three times to Brother John of Eppa, a Crosier lay brother, in the Paris monastery. She told him that God had commanded her to be the Protectress of the Order and where her relics were to be found. Brother John and his companion, Father Louis, journeyed to Cologne and the garden of Arnulph where the relics were buried.
Saint Odilia's relics are found and taken to Huy
After overcoming the skepticism of Arnulph, the two Crosiers began to dig around the pear tree in his garden where Odilia said the relics were to be found. Three urns were unearthed containing the remains of Odilia, Ida and Emma. Many cures took place through the intercession of Saint Odilia. The newly-discovered relics were taken to the mother house of the Crosiers at Huy, Belgium, with great solemnity.
Persecuted by the world, The Order loses the relics
The Order suffered much during the Protestant Revolt, the French Revolution and the Napoleonic wars. The Mother house at Huy was destroyed but a priest managed to escape with the relics of St. Odilia. They were to remain in a parish church in Kerniel, Belgium, for many years.
The relics of Saint Odilia are returned to the Order
In 1949, the relics of Saint Odilia were returned from the parish church at Kerniel where they had been since the French Revolution, to the care of the Order of the Holy Cross. They were taken in solemn procession from Kermiel to the Crosier monastery at Diest, Belgium as shown in these windows. In 1952 a major relic of Saint Odilia was brought to Onamia, Minnesota. A shrine in honor of the Patroness of the Order and the Patroness of the blind and afflicted was then set up in the seminary chapel.
Shrine of Saint Odilia
It was a long, long time ago, in the fourth century, that Odilia, the daughter of a powerful ruler of Britain, went to her martyrdom at Cologne, Germany, together with Ursula and a group of other virgins. These virgins were seeking a place where they might practice their faith in peace and quiet, but at the gates of Cologne they were met by fierce and cruel barbarians. The life-story of these valiant women ends here. They chose death.
The work of the Saints in heaven, though sometimes unseen and unheralded, is richer by far than it was on earth. So it was with Saint Odilia. About eight hundred years later, in 1287, she appeared to John Novelan, a lay brother of the Crosier Order in Paris, and told him she had been appointed by God to be the Patron Saint and Protectress of the members of the Order of the Holy Cross (now commonly called Crosier Fathers). She informed him also that her relics were to be found in an orchard in Cologne and begged him to get permission to unearth them. He did ask permission of his superior but was refused. Saint Odilia was persistent; she appeared twice more. Finally the Prior consented and commanded a priest of the Order to accompany the brother.
When these two reached Cologne, they had little trouble finding the relics. Joyfully they informed the Archbishop, who came personally to witness the findings.
Saint Odilia had instructed Brother John that her relics were to be taken to the Motherhouse of the Order at Huy in Belgium. Both at Cologne and on the way to Huy various cures took place, of blindness, of paralysis and other bodily infirmities.
In 1797, at the time of the French Revolution, the monastery at Huy was totally destroyed; and although the relics were saved they were lost to the Order. Fortunately, just recently, in 1949, Saint Odilia "came back home". Her relics were returned to the order, and a large portion of one of her bones was brought to Onamia, Minnesota, and now rests in her Shrine here. It can be viewed by entering the Shrine, where it is encased in a marble reliquary. Saint Odilia has promised to shower a stream of graces upon the Crosier Fathers and upon all those who invoke her aid in their hour of need. For centuries it has been the practice in the Crosier Order to bless water in honor of Saint Odilia, dipping her relic in it and asking God to give it "power against all diseases and bodily infirmities". Many are the cures, especially of diseases of the eyes, obtained through her intercession.
Thousands of people, from every state, send in their petitions to be included in the novenas, and many letters of thanks are received from people whose favors have been granted. Apparently Saint Odilia is kept busy in heaven showering graces and blessings upon her friends on earth.
Retreat
In July of each year, the Crosier Fathers and Brothers offer a one-day healing retreat, focusing on Saint Odilia, Patroness of the Blind and Afflicted and Patroness of the Crosiers. This retreat is held at the National Shrine of Saint. Odilia in Onamia, Minnesota.
Novena
Novenas in honor of Saint Odilia are made at Crosier Monastery twice a month, beginning on the 5th and 17th of each month, and the national novena is held from July 10-July 18.
This Information was Provided By Crosier Fathers and Brothers
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The National Shrine of St. Odilia is located in Onamia, Minnesota, at the Priory for the Crosier Fathers and Brothers. Information about the National Shrine, the novena, the history, the Crosiers, and more can be found at: https://www.crosier.org
The address for the National Shrine is:
National Shrine of St. Odilia
Crosier Fathers and Brothers
P.O. Box 500
Onamia, MN 56359
The telephone number is:
320-532-3103
The National Shrine is happy to mail you a copy of the Novena in Honor of St. Odilia along with a small bottle of water blessed with the relic of St. Odilia. Simply write or call the Shrine for these items. A donation to help support the ministries of the Crosiers is appreciated.
I am praying for a speedy recovery of my eye sight after a having a stroke my left eye, eye sight is weak, St.Odilia please pray for us.
I pray that i regain my vision and the I will make people aware of this parasite amoeba that wants to steel my sight. I believe I my GREAT GOD and with the prayers to St. Odilia that I will again see.
december13,St.odelia,pray for us.
Where can I get a bottle of St.Odilia's blessed water?
My son christopher has developed a condition of visual disturbances from getting of of a benzo medication. Its been 4 months and manybtrips to drs that have no answers. We r at the moment seeing an neurologist and praying for results. I would like for St. Adilia to reach out to my son and pray for him to retore his vision. He has a photo/journalism degree that he has not been able to put into motion since he graduated. I pray that the answers are with this dr. Please St. Adilia reach out tintype dr also that she will find the answer to my sons problem. Please St. Adilia take my son christopher in your hands and heal him for he has not even had a chance to start living. I as this in the name of Jesus christ, amen
I want to make a Novena to St. Odilia to pray for me to God to heal my eyesight problem. I have Glaucoma on both eyes. She had helped so many people afflicted with eye problems and I would like for St. Odilia to include me in the prayers to the Holy Trinity to heal me and maintain good vision.
I have had the medal of St. Odilia on the shelf in my room for many months maybe a few years and seldom pray for her help. But now that I need the Lord's help, I feel she will be most helpful because she has God's favor to hear those afflicted with eyesight problems.
St. Odilia please intercede for me to Christ Jesus. Thank you.
I am a young girl turning 17 and I am interested to know more about St. Odilia. One time I went shopping with mom. We went to this St. Vincent de Paul Shop where everything sold is donated to the needy and less fortunate. I went over the Saints' section and I started picking up the prayer cards for each St. that caught my eye. I picked up, of course, Mother Mary, St. Joseph, Divine Mercy prayer and St. Odilia. At first, when i had the first three, I turned to walk to the cashier. But something, a sort of whisper, pulled me back. As I looked back again, the first thing that caught my eye was the prayer card of St. Odilia. I don't know this St. and i thought it would be a great thing to know at least a new saint. I haven't heard of her or never seen the picture of her ever! And I keep putting the prayer card of St. Odilia on my prayer table. It's almost half a year since i bought that card and I still haven't noticed or done anything about it. Just a few days ago, I studied for my test. I took a little break and opened up the laptop and started surfing the net. I thought of what to search and the first thing that came to my mind was St. Odilia so i searched it up and now that i have read something about her, i feel inspired. i do pray that she helps me gain sight of the things around me today. I know at this stage, a lot of people my age are into experimental things and i pray that st. odilia will help me to abstain from all those things and become a better person.
I pray to St Odilia to help me maintain my sight ,, as I have glacoma, retinia pegmetosa, and beginning cateracts and macular degeneration.....guess they have everything they can find in the medical books.....my hearing is almost gone also...but I pray that as long as I am on ths earth I wish to be able to go to Mass and able to walk up for communion....Please put me on your prayer list.....God Bless
St. Odelia pray for me today - am going for my first dr.'s report and praying for a complete healing. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen
Dear St. Odilia, please pray for my son, Andrew that his color vision does not keep him from attaining a job that he was promised. He has to redo the test tomorrow and I pray that you can help him attain good results and fulfill his dream and lift his self esteem. I beg you to hear my request and prayers for him. Thank you and I will make your name known to others who need your help. St Lucy pray for Andy too please that he is given a chance to get a decent job.
St. ODILIA - plz pray for my recovery from very serious surgery i had 2 weeks ago in boston to save my left eye...and for the restoration of my sight!....
may God have mercy on each of us...
plz pray for me if u read this...amen...
grace be with u,
ann
I have a bottle of St Odilia's water with the image of this gentle saint. When my eyes get sore I often prayer to her and my eyes usually feel comforted.
saint ODILIA The holy physical and material witness of the HOLY TRINITY,, what we see on this world life...As well, the every letter of the HOLY BIBLE.... I bileive and love with my whole heart,, The Holy truth of Saint ODILIA,,, in the name of HOLY TRINITY what I too believe and witness by Saint ODILIA
I was diagnosed with Macular Degeneration in both eyes in 1998. I still have central vision, but it's getting worse. In 2011, I found St Odilia through The Crosier Fathers and Brothers. I pray to St. Odilia daily and apply her relic water to my eyes for her intercession to God Our Father for healing and cure. I pray that God Our Father will please have mercy on me. Amen.
I am doing the July 10-July 18 Novena. St. Odilia, please pray for us!
PLEASE E MAIL TO ME THE PRAYER TO ST ODILIA FOR THE BLIND.
Thank you Almighty Father Jesus Christ to find St. Odilia for the blind and afflicted. Please help my brother Juanito Patrick to have his vision get a remedy to be back again into normal eyesight one of his eyesight. And Lynda wife of Rich and my mother Teresita Villa Magallon Janeo have an eye problem . St. Odilia Pray for us and my thyroid to be completely healed in Jesus Christ Name . Amen
Can you show a prayer card online to
st. odilia regarding the eyes.
Thank you.
My wife and I have been saying the novena to St. Odilia continuously since sometime in 2007. Both of us and her sister have been diagnosed with macular degeneration. We also would love to go to her shrine in Onamia, MN and hope to accomplish that soon. St. Odilia, pray for us!