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1. andreas Kohler

   1 year ago

   In Lüftelberg, a township East of Bonn, Germany, St. Lüfthilids (St. Luthfild) is remembered by the Parish of St. Petrus with focus on the central message of St. Lüfthilids, that Christian brotherly love results from devotion and love of God. During her commemorative services the congregation receives a Lüfthilids’ Spindle blessing thought to guard against, or alleviate from, medical conditions - eye and ear disorders in particular.
   
   A second yearly celebration of St. Lüfthilids takes place during summer, which commemorates raising and eventually placing her remains into a dedicated tomb above her grave site starting June 1, 1623 by Erzbischof Ferdinand of Cologne.
   
   During her life she gave to the needy, and brokered peace among those in conflict. Pilgrims have often visited her tomb with explicit wishes for peace.
   
   A legend describes how Lufthidis used her spindle to draw a line between the adjoining properties of two parties embroiled in a feud. A trench in a neighboring forest, the Kottenforst, is known as Lüfthilidstrench, and is considered the result of that line.
   
   St. Lüfthilids was the daughter of a wealthy man who owned and administered a fortification, his title Burgherr von Berge. She was recognized for her piety. From her youth, she personally helped the needy and sick, despite her wealthy upbringing and social status. After her mother had died, her father remarried. St Luefthilid’s step-mother treated her with contempt and ordered her to perform menial tasks. Her step-mother’s acrimony increased reaching the point where she implicated St. Luthildis for squandering the family’s wealth in the interest of her care-taking. An anecdotal story unfolds as follows.
   St. Lüfthilids’ father decided to investigate himself. After his daughter had once again packed loaves of bread into her apron to donate them to the poor, he confronted her. By miracle the loaves of bread had turned into hot coals, therefore any suspicions by her father were put to rest. Afterwards, incensed that her plot had failed, St. Lüfthilids step-mother ordered the baker to fill her apron with hot coals instead of bread should she request again. The baker, scared by the step-mother, followed her orders, but this time, again by miracle, the hot coals turned into loaves of bread.
   In another anecdotal story about Lüfthilids, Charlemagne lay ill at the nearby castle of Münchhausen. As physicians could not help him, Charlemagne ordered two knights to retain St Lüfthilids, as he had heard of her healing abilities. The knights found St. Lüfthilids spinning at night and she immediately agreed to visit with Charlemagne – her spindle still in hand. At Charlemagne’s beside a voice from above commanded St. Lüfthilids to touch Charlemagne with her spindle. St. Lüfthilids complied and Charlemagne was cured instantly.
   Later in life St. Lüfthilids became a hermitress. Prior to passing away she donated her belongings to the poor and needy, with exception of her spindle - with which she was laid to rest.
   After Erzbischof Ferdinand of Cologne had erected a memorial at St. Lüfthilids’ grave site, regional veneration of St. Lüfthilids increased. Lueftelsberg drew pilgrims from an area that extended well East of the Rhine and North to Cologne.
   
   Lüfthilids’ spindle is a venerated object and kept at St. Petrus in Lüftelberg. This silver spindle is indicative of Lufthilde’s high social standing. In general, during medieval times spindles were crafted from wood, however spindles property of nobility were either made of gold or silver. For instance, the silver spindle of Duchess Luitgard, daughter of Otto the Great, was attached to the tomb of her grave. In medieval depictions wives of rulers often hold spindles.
   
   Sources about the life of St. Lüfthilids are (1) Caesarius von Heisterbach (1240), (2) a fragment of a handwritten note informs that during the 13th century an local Christians were actively venerating St. Lüfthilids. (3) Karl Simrock wrote a poem praising the virtues and life of the “Hill’s Virgin.” Further sources are found in the archive of the Brussels Boolandist: (4) One by the priest of Luefelberg dated 1753, (5) the other a Latin work translated from German verse by Abraham Key, a “Metaphysikus” from Cologne, the verse having been published in print with (6) publisher Gisbert Clemmens a few years earlier. In 1668 Cornelius Curitus (7) from Muenstereifel worked on a complete account of St. Lüfthilids life, his insights have been published with the Bollandists.
   

2. andreas kohler

   1 year ago

   Dear Madams and Sirs,
   
   I have sent you two comments, both containing an update on St Luthfild; the entry as it is stated here is incorrect, this Saint was not a hermitess of Cologne.
   
   Up to this point I have not received any update from you, nor has my comment been posted, possibly because elements of the anecdotal stories about St. Luthfild later reappear in the stories of "Snowwhite" and "Frau Holle."
   
   I would welcome any reply indicative of your decisions taken in this matter.
   
   With best regards,
   
   Andreas Kohler

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