While reviewing the saints celebrated on November 3rd in the Calendar of Saints, I was particularly moved by the story of Saint Ida of Toggenburg, a thirteenth-century hermit.
Her pious father, Count Hartmann, married her to Count Henry of Toggenburg when she was 17. She moved with her husband to Switzerland. This nobleman, owner of many castles and respected as a good warrior, had a very irascible temperament. Ida, raised in the fear of God and in virtue, endured him with patience and meekness. The couple could not have children, so Ida took in the poor as her own, becoming an “angel of comfort” to many in the villages and cottages. She also cared for all the castle’s inhabitants and guided them toward a pious life through her words and example. She was beloved by all.
It seemed that her life would pass peacefully, dedicated to the glory of God and the blessing of others. But suddenly, everything changed.