St.Adalbald of Ostrevant-Rictrude’s kin never accepted Adalbald

Feast Day : February 2

Adalbald of Ostrevant was born in Flanders to a noble family. His mother or grandmother (sources differ) was St. Gertrude, founder of the monastery at Hamage. Adalbert served at the Merovingian court of King Dagobert I, great-great-grandson of Clovis I and St. Clotilde of the Franks, and Dagobert’s successor, Clovis II. While in Dagobert’s service against the rebellious Gascons, Adalbert fell in love with Rictrude (later sainted herself), the daughter of a Gascon noble family. Her relatives forbade the union, but Rictrude married Adalbert anyway. They had four children: St. Maurontius, St. Clotsindis, St. Eusebia and St. Adalsindis. Rictrude’s kin never accepted Adalbald, reportedly jealous of his reputation and political position. Members of her family assassinated Adalbald while he was traveling to Gascony. Devastated, Rictrude nevertheless retrieved the body and buried it. Almost immediately, rumors spread of miraculous healings at the tomb. Rictrude continued her work, reputedly founding the abbey at Marchiennes.