Framehilde

Who they were

Framehilde was a widow of the 7th century, known to us from the 8th-century Life of her daughter, Saint Austreberta, and from 12th-century Acts written about her. She is thought to have been born early in the century into a noble Alemannic family, and married Beatefrido, a court official of King Dagobert I, by whom she had her daughter Austreberta; tradition holds that an angelic vision preceded Austreberta's birth, marking the child out for God from the start.

When Austreberta wished to enter monastic life, Framehilde, though reluctant at first, came to accept her daughter's vocation. Left a widow, she then gave herself to the service of others, distributing all her goods to the poor and to churches and monasteries. She is thought to have died around the year 680, in the odour of sanctity, and was buried at the church of Our Lady she had built at Pavilly; her relics were later moved to Montreuil-sur-Mer, but were burned and scattered during the French Revolution. Although no official veneration is recorded before the 17th century, devotion to her was widespread, especially among those who invoked her against headaches; her feast was kept on 17 May.

The miracles

There was never a formal cause: she has been honoured as a saint since before the Church's formal processes began.

Why that counted as sanctity

Widowed mother of Saint Austreberta who gave her goods to the poor after her daughter entered religious life; feast 17 May.

Connected on this site

• Austrebertha Saint Child