St. Elizabeth of Portugal, byname the Peacemaker or the Holy Queen, Portuguese Santa Isabel de Portugal, a Pacificadora or a Rainha Santa, (canonized 1625; feast day July 4), daughter of Peter III of Aragon, wife of King Dinis (Denis) of Portugal.
She was named for her great-aunt St. Elizabeth of Hungary and received a strict and pious education. In 1282 she was married to Dinis, a good ruler but an unfaithful husband. Despite the corrupt court life, Elizabeth maintained her devout habits, helped the sick and the poor, and founded charitable establishments. When her son Afonso rebelled against his father, Elizabeth rode between the two armies and reconciled father and son. She also helped settle disputes among other royal relatives. After Dinis died in 1325, she lived at Coimbra, Portugal, near a Poor Clare convent that she had founded, and she devoted herself to people in need. She died on her way to the battlefield to make peace between her son, then King Afonso IV, and Alfonso XI of Castile.
0704 St Elizabeth of Portugal NOVENA TO SAINT ELIZABETH OF PORTUGAL (Queen of Portugal)
Dear Saint Elizabeth,
whom I have chosen as my special patron,
pray for me that I, too, may one day
glorify the Blessed Trinity in Heaven.
Obtain for me your lively faith,
that I may consider all persons, things, and events
in the light of Almighty God.
Pray, that I may be generous in making sacrifices
of temporal things to promote my eternal interests,
as you so wisely did.
Set me on fire with a love for Jesus,
that I may thirst for His Sacraments and
burn with zeal for the spread of His Kingdom.
By your powerful intercession,
help me in the performance of my duties to God,
myself, and all the world.
Win the virtue of purity and a
great confidence in the Holy Virgin Mary.
Protect me this day, and every day of my life.
Keep me from mortal sin. Obtain for me
the grace of a happy death. Amen.
Saint Elizabeth of Portugal Novena Prayers
O God, author of peace and lover of charity,
who adorned Saint Elizabeth of Portugal
with a marvellous grace for reconciling those in conflict,
grant, through her intercession,
(Mention your request here…)
that we may become peacemakers,
and so be called children of God.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, forever and ever. Amen.
Say 1: Our Father… Say 1: Hail Mary… Say 1: Glory Be…
PRAYER TO ST ELIZABETH OF PORTUGAL
Father of peace and love,
you gave Saint Elizabeth the gift of reconciling enemies.
By the help of her prayers
give us the courage to work for peace among men,
that we may be called the sons of God.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, forever and ever.
Amen.
Prayer to Saint Elizabeth of Portugal
Heavenly Father, giver of every good gift,
we thank You for the example of St. Elizabeth of Portugal.
Despite many hardships and sufferings,
she remained faithful to You in all things.
Surrounded by the conflict and strife caused by others,
she always sought to be a channel of Your peace.
By the integrity of her life, her ceaseless charity and her holy example,
she became an instrument of reconciliation and forgiveness.
Through her powerful intercession
we ask for a share in the ministry of healing broken relationships,
for “blessed are the peacemakers for they will be called the children of God”
We ask for this and all things through Jesus Christ, the Prince of Peace.
Amen.
