Once upon a time there was a beautiful young princess
whose parents, though united in marriage, were divided
in worship, as her father the king was a worshipper of the
old pagan gods and her mother the queen was a Christian.
Like her mother, Dymphna followed the teachings of Jesus
Christ, and with her womanhood new upon her, she vowed
her eternal chastity to her Lord in Heaven.
But shortly after Dymphna’s consecration to Christ, her
mother died. Though Dymphna found solace in prayer, her
father did not. As days turned to weeks, his closest friends
and advisors began to worry about his destructive sor-
row, and they determined that he should remarry. The king
agreed, but only if they could procure for him a bride who
might resemble his dear, dead wife.
But none could be found that came close to matching
his wife in beauty, such was her distinction. None, that is,
but for her daughter, Dymphna, whom her father decided
he would take as his bride, as no one else would do.
When Dymphna heard of his terrible plan, she fled from
her castle with her confessor, Saint Gerebran. They ran and
hid, and when Dymphna felt they were at last far enough
away to be safe, she began to dedicate herself to helping
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