Cunigunde of Luxembourg
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Saint Cunigunde of Luxembourg | |
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 Saint Cunigunde of Luxembourg |
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| Born | 975 |
| Died | March 3, 1033 |
| Venerated in | Roman Catholic Church |
| Canonized | March 29, 1200 by Pope Innocent III |
| Major shrine | Bamberg Cathedral |
| Feast | March 3 |
| Patronage | patroness of Luxembourg, Lithuania and Poland |
 Saints Portal |
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Saint Cunigunde of Luxembourg (c. 975 – March 3, 1033 at Kaufungen) was the wife of Holy Roman Emperor Saint Henry II. She is the patroness of Luxembourg, Lithuania and Poland; her feastday is March 3.
Her parents were Siegfried I of Luxembourg (922 – August 15, 998) and Hedwig of Nordgau (c. 935 – 992). She was a seventh generation descendant of Charlemagne. Her marriage to Henry was a spiritual one, that is, they married for religious companionship and did not consummate their relationship by mutual agreement.
She was very active politically. As the closest advisor of her husband, she took part in imperial councils. Also, she commanded the imperial army and defeated the Polish troops in 1012.
After Henry's death in 1024, she became regent together with her brother and handed over the insignia when Conrad II was elected to succeed.
Cunigunde retired to a Benedictine monastery she founded at Kaufungen in Germany (Hesse). She died in 1033 (or 1039), and was buried at Bamberg Cathedral near her husband. She was canonised by Pope Innocent III on March 29, 1200.
It reported from the Papal Bull that Cunigunde fell asleep one night and was carried into bed. Her maid also fell asleep and a candle set the bed on fire. The blaze awoke both of them and upon executing the Sign of the Cross, the fire immediately disappeared saving them from burning.
| Preceded by Theophanu |
German Queen 1002 – 1024 |
Succeeded by Gisela of Swabia |
| Empress of the Holy Roman Empire 1014 – 1024 |
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| Preceded by Gisela of Burgundy |
Duchess consort of Bavaria 998–1005 |
Succeeded by Gunhilda of Denmark |
