Even though Saint Elizabeth of Hungary, whose name means worshiper of God, died young, she did much in her young life. She was the daughter of King Andrew of Hungary and she married Prince Louis at age 13. She built a hospital at the foot of the mountain of her castle and she took care of the patients herself. Her family opposed this, but she insisted becuase she had to follow Christ's teachings. Upon the death of her husband, Elizabeth sold everything she had and worked to support her four children. She gave gifts of bread to the poor and large gift of grain to a famine stricken Germany. This in turn led to her patronage of bakers, and also hospitals, nursing homes, homeless, and widows. She died of natural causes in Germany when she was only 24 years old. Everything she owned she wanted to go to the poor. Her relics including her skull wearing a gold crown she wore and they are preserved at the convent of Saint Elizabeth in Vienna, Austria.
"Apart from those active good works, I declare before God that I have seldom seen a more contemplative woman."
~from a letter by Conrad of Marburg, spiritual director of Saint Elizabeth of Hungary
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