The feast day of St. Adelaide is celebrated on December 16. She is the patron saint of abuse victims and brides.
St. Adelaide was born in 931 in Burgundy. Her marriage, at the age of 15 or 16 to Lothair, heir of King Hugh of Italy. was arranged by her father. Their union was unhappy but short due to his death three years later. Adelaide refused to marry the son of his successor, Berengar. She was imprisoned in an attempt to force a marriage. Adelaide escaped and requested aid from the Emperor Otto. She eventually married him. They had four children; the future Otto II and three daughters (two became nuns). Otto and Adelaide received the imperial crown from John XII.
After the death of Otto, her son Otto II succeeded him. He also died. Otto III, still a minor was entrusted the joint registry of his mother and grandmother. After he took full power, Adelaide devoted herself to pious works establishing many churches and monasteries.
St. Adelaide was canonized in 1097.
Faith is to believe
what we do not see;
and the reward of this faith
is to see what we believe.
St. Augustine; Feast day August 28
December is the Month of the Divine Infancy