Ingrid of Skänninge facts for kids
Quick facts for kids BlessedIngrid Elovsodtter OP |
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| Born | c. 1220 |
| Died | 9 September 1282 Skänninge, Sweden |
| Venerated in | Roman Catholic Church Church of Sweden |
| Beatified | 16 March 1499 (cultus confirmation), Old Saint Peter's Basilica, Papal States by Pope Alexander VI |
| Major shrine | Skänninge Abbey |
| Feast | 2 September |
Ingrid of Skänninge was a Swedish nun who lived a long time ago. She was known for being very religious and for starting a special place for nuns. Ingrid died on September 9, 1282.
She founded Skänninge Abbey in 1272. This was a convent, which is a home for nuns, and it belonged to the Order of Preachers, also known as the Dominicans. People remember her on her feast day, which is September 2.
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Ingrid's Early Life
Ingrid was born around the year 1220. Her father, Elof, was a nobleman from a part of Sweden called Östergötland. This means her family was important and well-known in Sweden.
She had at least two brothers, Anders and Johan. Johan was a knight, a type of soldier, in the Teutonic Order. Ingrid's niece, Kristina Johansdotter, was related to Bridget of Sweden. Many people believe that Ingrid's life and faith inspired Bridget.
Ingrid married a nobleman named Sir Sigge. He probably passed away in 1271. After her husband died, Ingrid and her sister Kristina became very religious. They joined a group of devoted women in Skänninge. This group was led by a Dominican friar named Petrus de Dacia. Petrus de Dacia wrote about one of these women, who was likely Ingrid. He described her as living a very strict and spiritual life.
Founding Skänninge Abbey
In 1272, Ingrid and the women in her group decided to form a proper convent. They started living by the rules of the Dominicans. Ingrid became their leader.
Ingrid also went on long religious journeys called pilgrimages. She traveled to important holy places like Santiago de Compostela in Spain, Jerusalem in the Middle East, and Rome in Italy.
After her sister died, Ingrid asked for her convent to be officially recognized. This was approved in 1281. She passed away just one year later.
Honoring Ingrid: Veneration and Beatification
After Ingrid died in 1282, people started to honor her. Her remains, which are called relics, became very important. Many people made pilgrimages to the convent to visit them. It's thought that the other nuns might have seen her as a saint right after she died.
Later, at a big meeting called the Council of Constance, people asked for Ingrid to be beatified. Beatification is the first step toward becoming a saint in the Catholic Church. In 1499, Pope Alexander VI agreed to move her relics. This special event happened in Skänninge Abbey in 1507.
Ingrid's Legacy: A Journey of Relics
During a time called the Swedish Reformation, Ingrid's remains were moved to Vadstena Abbey. This was a different convent.
In 1645, something unusual happened. A man named Antoine de Beaulieu took Ingrid's skull from the church in Vadstena. He thought it was the skull of Bridget of Sweden. Antoine de Beaulieu then gave the skull to the French ambassador. The ambassador placed it in a church in France.
In 1959, the skull was given to a Bridgettine abbey in the Netherlands. There, it was shown as a relic of Bridget of Sweden.
