Eusebia, Saint

Eusebia, Saint abbess of Hamay or Hamaige, daughter of Adalbrand, a Frankish lord, and of St. Rictrude, was born in 637. She was educated by her grandmother, St. Gertrude, abbess of Hamay (Hamaticum), and was elected to succeed her in 649; but as she was only twelve years old, Rictrude, who at that time was abbess of Marchiennes, let her come into her convent with her whole community, by order of the king, Clovis II. Eusebia, who could not forget her monastery of Hamaige, therefore rose secretly in the 'night with one of her friends, and went there to chant the service, and came back the following morning to Marchiennes. Her mother found this out, however, gave her a severe chastisement, and engaged many bishops and abbots to remonstrate with her, but they found her inflexible, and advised Rictrude to leave her at liberty. When only thirteen years old, Eusebia returned to Hamaige as abbess, and governed her community with humility, mildness, and prudence. She died in 660, and is commemorated March 16. See Hoefer, Nouv. Biog. Generale, s.v.; Smith, Dict. of Christ. Biog. s.v.