Saint Hedwig

The Eye of the Needle — Saint Hedwig of Silesia | Catholic Hymn “The Eye of the Needle” is a devotional hymn celebrating Saint Hedwig of Silesia, a duchess, wife, mother and remarkable witness to the Christian use of wealth, influence and power in service of God and the poor. Born around the beginning of the 13th century at Andechs in Bavaria, Hedwig came from an influential noble family. Several members of her family became important rulers and Church leaders, and her niece would later become Saint Elizabeth of Hungary. At around twelve years of age, Hedwig married Henry the Bearded, Duke of Silesia, and travelled far from her Bavarian homeland to begin a new life in Silesia. Though their marriage had political origins, Hedwig and Henry made their authority an instrument of Christian charity. Together they supported hospitals, monasteries, the poor and the Church, seeking to use their wealth not simply for themselves but for the good of others. They raised a large family and, after the birth of their seventh child, mutually embraced a life of continence, giving themselves more fully to prayer and service while continuing to fulfill their responsibilities. Hedwig's charity became especially remarkable. Near the convent of Trebnitz, which she and Henry had founded, she devoted herself to works of mercy. She cared for the poor, visited prisoners, assisted monasteries and even washed the feet of people suffering from leprosy. She also deeply loved the Holy Eucharist and took particular joy in providing the bread and wine used for Mass. After Henry's death in 1238, Hedwig withdrew into greater solitude while continuing her charitable works. She lived close to the Trebnitz convent as a lay sister rather than taking formal religious vows, allowing her to continue serving those in need. She died in 1243 and was buried at the Cistercian monastery of Trzebnica, where her tomb remains a place of devotion. Hedwig was canonized in 1267, only twenty-four years after