St. Dymphna, known as the patron saint of mental health, is a revered figure in Christian history, celebrated for her compassion, bravery, and enduring legacy in advocating for those afflicted by mental and emotional challenges.
Dymphna was the only child of a pagan king who is believed to have ruled a section of
Ireland in the 7th century. She was the very picture of her attractive young Christian mother.
When the queen died at a very young age, the royal widower’s heart remained beyond
reach of comfort. His moody silences pushed him on the verge of mental collapse. His
courtiers suggested he consider a second marriage. The king agreed on condition that
his new bride should look exactly like his former one.
His envoys went far a field in search of the woman he desired. The quest proved
fruitless. Then one of them had a brilliant idea: Why shouldn’t the king marry his
daughter, the living likeness of her mother?
Repelled at first, the king then agreed. He broached the topic to his daughter. Dymphna,
appalled, stood firm as a rock. “Definitely not.” By the advice of St. Gerebern, her
confessor, she eventually fled from home to avoid the danger of her refusal.
A group of four set out across the sea – Father Gerebern, Dymphna, the court jester
and his wife. On landing at Antwerp, on the coast of Belgium, they looked around for a
residence. In the little village of Gheel, they settled near a shrine dedicated to St. Martin
of Tours.
Then spies from her native land arrived in Gheel and paid their inn fees with coins
similar to those Dymphna had often handed to the innkeeper. Unaware that the men
were spies, he innocently revealed to them where she lived.
The king came at once to Gheel for the final, tragic encounter. Despite his inner fury, he
managed to control his anger. Again he coaxed, pleased, made glowing promises of
money and prestige. When this approach failed, he tried threats and insults; but these too left Dymphna unmoved. She would rather die than break the vow of virginity shehad made with her confessor’s approval.
In his fury, the king ordered his men to kill Father Gerebern and Dymphna. They killed
the priest but could not harm the young princess.
The king then leaped from his seat and with his own weapon cut off his daughter’s
head. Dymphna fell at his feet. Thus Dymphna, barely aged fifteen, died. Her name
appears in the Roman Martyrology, together with St. Gerebern’s on May 15.
In the town of Gheel, in the Flemish-speaking region of Belgium, great honor is paid to
St. Dymphna, whose body is preserved in a silver reliquary in the church which bears
her name. Gheel has long been known as a place of pilgrimage for persons seeking
relief or nervous or emotional distresses. In our century, the name of St. Dymphna as
the heavenly intercessor for such benefits is increasingly venerated in America.