Our Patron Saint
St Elizabeth of Portugal (1271–1336)
Early Life and Marriage
St Elizabeth of Portugal was born in 1271. She was a princess of Aragon (modern-day Spain), and she was named after her great-aunt, St Elizabeth of Hungary. As a child she was devout and compassionate. At just twelve years old, she was arranged to marry King Denis of Portugal, officially becoming the Queen of Portugal.
The Compassionate Queen and the Miracle of the Roses
Despite the pressures and politics of royal court life, Elizabeth prioritised helping the poor, sick, and vulnerable. She founded hospitals, orphanages, and shelters for the homeless, often using her own personal wealth to help those in need.
King Denis did not approve of her charitable works and forbade her to leave the castle to take food to the hungry. Elizabeth, however, carried on helping others in secret. On one cold, winter morning, while carrying bread hidden in her cloak to feed the poor, Denis confronted her and demanded to know what she was carrying. When she opened her cloak, the bread was miraculously transformed into fresh, blooming roses.
The Peacemaker
Elizabeth was a courageous peacemaker. When her husband and her son, Afonso, prepared armies to fight against each other, she bravely rode onto the battlefield between the opposing armies to stop the war. Her intervention restored peace and prevented a devastating civil war.
Later Years
After King Denis died in 1325, Elizabeth gave all her wealth to the poor, and spent the remaining years of her life in simplicity and prayer in lay order, the Third Order Franciscans in Coimbra.
Elizabeth was canonized as a saint by Pope Urban VIII in 1625. She is often pictured with roses in her cloak and holding an olive branch, a symbol of peace.
A Model of Catholic Social Teaching
St Elizabeth is a wonderful example of Catholic Social Teaching for our school community to follow. She models the qualities that we aim to foster in our school, being:
A Peacemaker, resolving conflict through patience, courage, and empathy.
Kind and compassionate, helping those in need.
A leader through service, bringing out the best in others.
Our school community celebrates our patron saint on her Feast Day on 4th July with a Mass, whole school picnic lunch and concert.