Elizabeth of Aragon

Who they were

Elizabeth was born in Spain in 1271 and named after her great-aunt St Elizabeth of Hungary. At twelve she was married for political reasons to King Denis of Portugal. She had two children, and brought up others born of her husband's infidelities as her own, enduring every humiliation with a life of prayer and austerity, like a nun.

So gentle that she was called 'angel of peace', she reconciled her husband and her son when they were at war, even after the king, suspecting her of taking her son's side, had banished her. Widowed, she gave herself to the poor. Hearing that her son was at war with his son-in-law, she set out to make peace, fell ill with fever at Estremoz and died on 4 July 1336.

The miracles

Sources disagree on the year of her canonisation: Vatican News gives 1625; other sources give 24 June 1626, by Urban VIII. The miracles examined are not described in the sources we have used.

Why that counted as sanctity

Elizabeth answered betrayal and humiliation with prayer, patience and love, and spent herself making peace in her family and her kingdom to her last journey.

Connected on this site

• Constance of Sicily Blessed Mother, Parent
• Elizabeth of Hungary Saint
  “Elizabeth was born in Spain in 1271 and named after her great-aunt St Elizabeth of Hungary.” — this site's research