Saint Dymphna
Saint Dymphna in prayerful stillness amid the rolling fields
—a symbol of purity, courage, and the quiet strength of faith in a troubled world.
Saint Dymphna – Patronage & Symbols
Born: 7th century, Ireland
Died: c. 620, Geel, Belgium (martyred for steadfast purity)
Roman Calendar Feast Day: 30 May in the modern Roman Calendar (traditionally 15 May), Honored for her defense of purity and protection of the mentally afflicted.
Canonized: Pre-congregation canonization (ancient veneration) —formal recognition by popular devotion and ecclesiastical approval.
Patron Of: Mental illness, nervous disorders, epilepsy, possessed persons, victims of incest, runaway children, therapists, psychiatrists, the town of Geel (Belgium).
Symbols in Art: White lily, palm of martyrdom, sword of martyrdom, crown (royal heritage), lamp or candle, chains (representing liberation from mental bondage)
Invoked For: Healing of mental and emotional distress, protection from abuse, courage in defending moral order, liberation from psychological torment, and peace of mind for caregivers., Consolation in grief and sorrow, clarity of mind and freedom from despair, steadfast purity and protection against coercion or violations of God’s natural order, endurance and patience for caregivers in long trials
Saint Dymphna and Saint Gerebernus fleeing Ireland by boat,
seeking refuge from her father's pursuit,
in their final journey to Geel, nowadays Belgium.
Saint Dymphna (also spelled Dympna, Dimpna, Dymfna, Dimfna, Dympha; Irish Damhnait / Davnet) was a 7-th-century Irish virgin-martyr venerated in both the Catholic and Eastern Orthodox traditions. Born to a pagan chieftain and a devout Christian mother, she was secretly baptized and raised in the faith; her name likely means “little poetess” (damh = poet + diminutive -ait).
After her mother’s death, Dymphna’s father descended into madness and became obsessed with his daughter’s likeness to his late wife. When he pressed her to enter an unlawful union, the teenaged Dymphna fled Ireland with her confessor, Saint Gerebernus, and a few companions.
They settled in Geel (modern Belgium), where Dymphna used her inheritance to serve the sick and the poor—until her father found them. When she refused him again, he beheaded Gerebernus and then killed his own daughter. Her life of quiet charity ended in martyrdom—a witness sealed in blood.
Centuries later, the tombs of Dymphna and Gerebernus were rediscovered, and healings of the mentally afflicted became closely linked to her intercession. A unique tradition of welcoming such persons into family homes arose in Geel and continues today.
Saint Dymphna is now patroness of those suffering mental illness, trauma, anxiety, abuse, and of the professionals who care for them. She is often shown with a lily (purity), a sword (martyrdom), and sometimes a book or crown (nobility). Her feast is kept on 30 May in the modern Roman Calendar (traditionally 15 May).