Zdislava Berka
Encyclopedia
Zdislava Berka was the wife of Havel of Markvartice
, Duke of Lemberk is a Czech saint
of the Roman Catholic Church. She was a particularly austere and generous woman who founded a convent
.
, in what is now the Žďár nad Sázavou District
of the Czech Republic
. She was reportedly an unusually devout child, who at age seven ran away into the forest with the intention of living a hermit
's life of prayer and solitude. She was forcibly returned by her family, and made to live a normal childhood from that point on. Later, her family arranged for her to marry Havel of Markvartice (also known as Gallus of Lämberg or Havel of Lemberk) of the prosperous Markwartiner family. He founded the towns of Gabel (Deutsch Gabel) and Habelschwerdt. Together they would have four children.
As a married woman, Zdislava continued to live a life of remarkable personal austerity, worked tirelessly in the care of the poor and dispossessed, and was, unusually for her era, a frequent recipient of the Eucharist
. Tatar invasions of Eastern Europe were causing large numbers of people to leave their homes during this period, and a large number of refugees sought refuge at the castle of Gable, where Zdislava lived with her family and assisted these refugees as much as possible.
Her husband was concerned about what he considered the excessive degree of Zdislava's charity to these refugees. In one incident, he is reported to have gone to the bed Zdislava had given to a feverish beggar the night before, but to have found a figure of the crucified
Jesus
there instead. He is said to have been so impressed by this apparition that he would later allow her to found a Dominican
convent in Turnov
. Zdislava worked with this convent for the rest of her life, and was eventually buried there.
confirmed her veneration for her native country. She was canonized
a saint in 1995 with John Sarkander
in a ceremony in Olomouc
, Czech Republic
, by Pope John Paul II
. In artwork, she is commonly depicted as a Dominican tertiary with a crucifix wound around with roses, or lying in the place of a sick person in bed. As a patron saint, she is asked for her intercession in difficult marriages and for people ridiculed for their piety.
Havel of Markvartice
Havel of Markvartice was a prominent Bohemian nobleman, the Duke of Lemberk. He married Zdislava Berka when she was 17 years old...
, Duke of Lemberk is a Czech saint
Saint
A saint is a holy person. In various religions, saints are people who are believed to have exceptional holiness.In Christian usage, "saint" refers to any believer who is "in Christ", and in whom Christ dwells, whether in heaven or in earth...
of the Roman Catholic Church. She was a particularly austere and generous woman who founded a convent
Convent
A convent is either a community of priests, religious brothers, religious sisters, or nuns, or the building used by the community, particularly in the Roman Catholic Church and in the Anglican Communion...
.
Biography
Zdislava was from a Moravian family, born in KřižanovKrižanov
Křižanov is a small town in Žďár nad Sázavou District in the Vysočina Region of the Czech Republic.The town covers an area of , and has a population of 1,821 ....
, in what is now the Žďár nad Sázavou District
Ždár nad Sázavou District
Žďár nad Sázavou District is a district within the Vysočina Region of the Czech Republic. Its capital is Žďár nad Sázavou, a town of 24,000 inhabitants built on the river Sázava...
of the Czech Republic
Czech Republic
The Czech Republic is a landlocked country in Central Europe. The country is bordered by Poland to the northeast, Slovakia to the east, Austria to the south, and Germany to the west and northwest....
. She was reportedly an unusually devout child, who at age seven ran away into the forest with the intention of living a hermit
Hermit
A hermit is a person who lives, to some degree, in seclusion from society.In Christianity, the term was originally applied to a Christian who lives the eremitic life out of a religious conviction, namely the Desert Theology of the Old Testament .In the...
's life of prayer and solitude. She was forcibly returned by her family, and made to live a normal childhood from that point on. Later, her family arranged for her to marry Havel of Markvartice (also known as Gallus of Lämberg or Havel of Lemberk) of the prosperous Markwartiner family. He founded the towns of Gabel (Deutsch Gabel) and Habelschwerdt. Together they would have four children.
As a married woman, Zdislava continued to live a life of remarkable personal austerity, worked tirelessly in the care of the poor and dispossessed, and was, unusually for her era, a frequent recipient of the Eucharist
Eucharist
The Eucharist , also called Holy Communion, the Sacrament of the Altar, the Blessed Sacrament, the Lord's Supper, and other names, is a Christian sacrament or ordinance...
. Tatar invasions of Eastern Europe were causing large numbers of people to leave their homes during this period, and a large number of refugees sought refuge at the castle of Gable, where Zdislava lived with her family and assisted these refugees as much as possible.
Her husband was concerned about what he considered the excessive degree of Zdislava's charity to these refugees. In one incident, he is reported to have gone to the bed Zdislava had given to a feverish beggar the night before, but to have found a figure of the crucified
Crucifixion
Crucifixion is an ancient method of painful execution in which the condemned person is tied or nailed to a large wooden cross and left to hang until dead...
Jesus
Jesus
Jesus of Nazareth , commonly referred to as Jesus Christ or simply as Jesus or Christ, is the central figure of Christianity...
there instead. He is said to have been so impressed by this apparition that he would later allow her to found a Dominican
Dominican Order
The Order of Preachers , after the 15th century more commonly known as the Dominican Order or Dominicans, is a Catholic religious order founded by Saint Dominic and approved by Pope Honorius III on 22 December 1216 in France...
convent in Turnov
Turnov
Turnov is a town on the Jizera river in the northern Czech Republic. It has about 14,500 inhabitants and lies in the southern part of Liberec Region. It is a traditional center for gemstone polishing, glass craftmanship and arts....
. Zdislava worked with this convent for the rest of her life, and was eventually buried there.
Veneration
Shortly after her death Zdislava is reported to have appeared in an apparition to her husband. In 1907, Pope Pius XPope Pius X
Pope Saint Pius X , born Giuseppe Melchiorre Sarto, was the 257th Pope of the Catholic Church, serving from 1903 to 1914. He was the first pope since Pope Pius V to be canonized. Pius X rejected modernist interpretations of Catholic doctrine, promoting traditional devotional practices and orthodox...
confirmed her veneration for her native country. She was canonized
Canonization
Canonization is the act by which a Christian church declares a deceased person to be a saint, upon which declaration the person is included in the canon, or list, of recognized saints. Originally, individuals were recognized as saints without any formal process...
a saint in 1995 with John Sarkander
John Sarkander
Saint John Sarkander was a Polish and Moravian priest.Sarkander studied since 1597 at the University of Olomouc and then since 1600 at the Charles University, where he became doctor of philosophy. Later, he studied theology at University of Graz. He was ordained in 1609 and worked in Holešov from...
in a ceremony in Olomouc
Olomouc
Olomouc is a city in Moravia, in the east of the Czech Republic. The city is located on the Morava river and is the ecclesiastical metropolis and historical capital city of Moravia. Nowadays, it is an administrative centre of the Olomouc Region and sixth largest city in the Czech Republic...
, Czech Republic
Czech Republic
The Czech Republic is a landlocked country in Central Europe. The country is bordered by Poland to the northeast, Slovakia to the east, Austria to the south, and Germany to the west and northwest....
, by Pope John Paul II
Pope John Paul II
Blessed Pope John Paul II , born Karol Józef Wojtyła , reigned as Pope of the Catholic Church and Sovereign of Vatican City from 16 October 1978 until his death on 2 April 2005, at of age. His was the second-longest documented pontificate, which lasted ; only Pope Pius IX ...
. In artwork, she is commonly depicted as a Dominican tertiary with a crucifix wound around with roses, or lying in the place of a sick person in bed. As a patron saint, she is asked for her intercession in difficult marriages and for people ridiculed for their piety.