00:00In the heart of medieval Europe, in what is now Poland, lived Hedwig, a woman whose
00:08Nobility was not only of blood, but of heart.
00:12Born around 1174, the daughter of a powerful duke, she married Henry I the Bearded, Duke of, at only twelve years old.
00:21Silesia.
00:23Seven children were born from this union, but Edwige's life was also marked by the pain of loss.
00:30several of his children did not survive him, and by the conflicts that sometimes tore his own family apart.
00:38Despite her status as a duchess, Edwige led a life of profound piety and inexhaustible charity.
00:46She was known for her simplicity, wearing humble clothes and preferring to walk barefoot, even in winter, a habit
00:55so deeply ingrained that it is said she often carried her shoes in her hand rather than putting them on.
01:01This preference for walking barefoot was a sign of his detachment from material possessions and his desire
01:08to imitate Christ.
01:10His reign was a time of construction and aid to the poorest.
01:15She founded numerous hospitals for the sick and the poor, and convents, including the famous Cistercian monastery of Trebnitsa.
01:24which she enriched with her dowry and where she retired after the death of her husband in 1838, without
01:31never taking vows, but living like a nun, alongside her daughter Gertrude, humbles her.
01:38She did not hesitate to sell her jewelry to help those in need, demonstrating boundless generosity.
01:46She also interceded with her husband on behalf of prisoners and the oppressed.
01:53Edwige left us in 1243.
01:56His life is a shining testament to how wealth and power can be put to use.
02:03of God and of men.
02:05Today, she is celebrated as the patron saint of Silesia, Poland, and Germany, but also as a role model.
02:13of a Christian mother, a devoted wife, and a woman of peace.
02:18She reminds us that a life of faith is expressed through concrete acts of service and love towards
02:24our next one,
02:26and that true nobility lies in humility and compassion.
02:31Thank you for watching this video!
