PATRON OF THE MENTALLY ILL; INVOKED AGAINST INCEST, DEPRESSION, STRESS, INSANITY, AND SLEEPWALKING.
In Belgium, near the town of Geel, can be found one of Europe’s largest and most progressive hospitals for the care and cure of the emotionally disturbed. It was founded on the site of Saint Dymphna’s martyrdom and is named in her honor. Dymphna, born in the 7th century, was the teenage daughter of Damon, a pagan Irish warlord. She followed her mother in converting to Christianity and made a vow of chastity. When his wife died, Damon was inconsolable. He searched, they say, the Western world in vain for another bride as fair until his grief-crazed gaze fell upon his wife’s living image—their own daughter.
No sooner had Damon made his depraved desires known to Dymphna than the maiden fled Ireland for far-off Belgium, aided and accompanied in her escape by Father Gerebran (an old and holy priest) and, oddly, by the court jester and his wife. The foursome landed in Belgium and soon gave money to the poor; then they set up a hospice for the poor, sick, and, unheard of in the 7th century, the mentally ill. Their largesse was their undoing: spies sent by Damon followed the trail of Irish coins the runaways gave to the needy, and found the fugitives living in the woods at Geel running their mission. The mad Damon himself then crossed the sea, surprised his daughter, demanded she accede to his monstrous demands, and when she again refused his indecent proposal, drew his sword and slew her where she stood. She was 15. His soldiers did the same to her priest.
Dymphna and Gerebran were buried together in a cave. Soon, miraculous cures of epileptics and other “lunatics” began at her grave and a church in her name was built there. The psychiatric hospital later built on that site began a practice of “altruistic psychiatric care” which involved the entire community of Geel. When the hospital overflowed the people of Geel took patients into their homes. The tradition continues to this day. (See Guardian article below.)
Dymphna has ever since been invoked by all who suffer emotional and nervous disorders. But the obvious connection between the sexual abuse of children and mental illness, made in the 7th century, would not be discovered again for 1,300 years.
“By fostering in this way the families want to normalize the lives of those with mental illness, treating them not as patients with a diagnosis, to be institutionalised, but as individuals deserving of dignity and inclusion. This way of altruistic psychiatric care has been part of Geel since the 13th century. It started when a church was built for Ireland’s Saint Dymphna, who is the patron saint of mental illness.”
The Guardian, May 10, 2024, By Ilvy Njiokiktjien ♦
St. Dymphna triptych on display in the National Gallery, Ireland in 2023. By the Flemish artist Goossen van der Weyden (c.1505).
Rosemary Rogers co-authored, with Sean Kelly, the best-selling humor/reference book Saints Preserve Us! Everything You Need to Know About Every Saint You’ll Ever Need (Random House, 1993), currently in its 18th international printing. The duo collaborated on four other books for Random House and calendars for Barnes & Noble. Rogers co-wrote two info/entertainment books for St. Martin’s Press. She is currently co-writing a book on empires for City Light Publishing.
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