Today is the feast of St. Walburga (died 779), virgin. Although her feast day is -- and has always been -- today, her name invokes the unhallowed celebration of the witches (Walpurgisnacht, "Walburga's Night") on May 1st, we don't know why.
Walburga (aka Waldburg, or Walpurg) was the sister of Saints Winebald and Willibald, missionaries from England to the then-untamed Germany. The men went first and then when it was discovered that women were needed, Walburga went over. She lived with and spiritually directed the German women. She and her brother Winebald ran a co-ed monastery for awhile in Heidenheim and then she ran both by herself at the direction of her other brother, Willibald, then Bishop of Eichstatt. She served long and well and was noted as a medical student and physician.
That's kind of appropriate because her bones exude an oil that has curative powers even to this day, even though they are scattered among various churches in Europe (including Brussels, Antwerp, Thielt, Zutphen and Groningen.)
St. Walburga, pray for us.
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