Elzabeth was just beginning to experience what would become a purging of her soul for the remainder of her short life. While her husband was still alive, and through the recommendation of the Pope at the time, Gregory IX, she was given a Spiritual Director, Conrad of Marburg, who, while he was a very pious man, was also a very stern disciplinarian. His background would seem a little strange for such a delicate task. Prior to taking over as her Spiritual Director and confessor, he had been an inquisitor of heretics. He truly loved Elizabeth's soul, and knew the Lord had great plans for her, but that she was overpowered by materialism in her position as Landgravine, and had been all her life as the Princess of Hungary. There are those who felt that this man had not been a good choice for her Spiritual Director, he being so forceful and she being so gentle. Whatever the case, the Lord was in charge, and in spite of, or because of her austere lifestyle for the next four years, she is a powerful Saint today.
He began a program of stripping Elizabeth of all that she had known, material possessions which had never been considered luxurious by her or her family, but according to certain poorer classes in the world, would have been looked upon as almost sinful. She had never taken herself seriously. She never cared about the splendor surrounding her. There was a time, long before Conrad came into her life when she would feed the poor and hungry and physically take care of the sick at the hospitals she opened at the foot of the castle in Marburg. Actually, she had become a third order Franciscan when the Franciscans first came to Germany in 1221. She was vested in the harsh, rough wool of the Franciscan habit, which she was not allowed to wear except on special occasions. At that time, she also had a confessor and Spiritual Director from the Franciscans, Friar Rodeger, one of the first Germans who joined the Franciscan community.
So the fact of the matter is, she had already begun to dress down, almost to the point of a peasant, when her husband was out of town, or when she was not needed for any matters of state. And so she dressed as one who worked with the poor and sick. But she always made sure that she was ready and available for when her husband needed her to be his noble lady.
Except for one time.
This is recorded as only one of the Angelic intercessions on her behalf when she might have gotten into trouble. The story goes that on this particular occasion, she was working diligently at her hospital for the poor, so deeply involved was she that time got away from her. Suddenly she realized that she was supposed to be in royal garb at the castle with her husband, entertaining guests of great importance to him and the kingdom. She ran to the castle, still dressed in her plain wool dress, which she used when she worked with the poor. There was no time to change. She had to be at the right side of her husband. So she prayed all the way to the main ballroom where he was with his guests.
As she approached, Angels came down from Heaven with the most exquisite gown and tiara, slippers and the like, and actually dressed her as she kept moving towards her husband. When she finally arrived by his side, she was a picture of majesty. No one could imagine where she got the material for the exquisite gown and headdress, slippers and the accessories that she wore. Only she, the Angels, and Our Lord Jesus knew.
However, when Conrad of Marburg took over as her confessor and Spiritual Director, he immediately began to strip her of her possessions, while never taking away her ability to handle her own money or possessions. She left the court of Thuringia and settled into a small house for her and two attendants until a proper house could be built for her at the edge of her husband's lands, far from the center of noble activity. With the exception of being out of touch with the poor people at her hospitals, this was good for her. She preferred the quiet time, away from all that she had disliked in court.
Her father, the King of Hungary, begged her to come home, where she could live a spiritual life, but not so steeped in poverty. However, that was not what she wanted. She wanted less and less of the world, and more and more of God. She built a hospice attached to her house so that she could continue to care for the sick and indigent.
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Bob and Penny Lord are renowned Catholic authors and television hosts on EWTN, Global Catholic television. They are prolific writers about the Catholic faith, especially the Saints for which they have been dubbed "experts on the Saints." For more information about Saint Elizabeth of Hungary go to http://www.bobandpennylord.com/St_Elizabeth_of_Hungary.htm
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