St. Adela
Born: c. 1067 CE
Died: c. 1137 CE
Feast: February 24
Patron saint of: N/A
Adela was the youngest daughter of William the Conqueror and so lived a life befitting an English princess. She was the favorite sister of her brother, the future King Henry I, and was well-educated for a woman of her time. In her adulthood, Adela served as regent in her husband’s absence when he was on crusade in the Holy Land, and she was trusted intimately to rule. She even continued to rule until her son came of age and was known to co-rule with him into later life. Adela cultivated strong relationships with church authorities and future saints alike. She was known for her philanthropic endeavors, using her vast wealth to sponsor churches and monasteries as well as scholars and poets—a witness of using wealth to advance the Kingdom of God. Adela’s story paints a fascinating picture of a woman given authority and a seat of governance in a time when women were not known or permitted to do so. Her influence in the church of her time is just one of many stories of women enriching our spiritual history as a family of faith.
Image: Wikimedia Commons
