Elizabeth House is named for St. Elizabeth of Hungary, patron saint of the poor and sick. Born in the thirteenth century, she was a Hungarian princess who married German royalty through an arranged marriage. She learned of the works of St. Francis of Assisi and chose to follow in his steps of charity. She built hospitals for the sick and provided bread to the poor. Her husband supported her efforts to care for the less fortunate, but in an effort to end rumors that Elizabeth was stealing from the castle to give to the poor, he once stopped her while she was carrying bread to the poor. When he asked what was hidden in her cloak, she opened it to reveal that what had been a cloak full of bread was now full of red roses, an event that became known as the Miracle of the Roses.
Feast Day: November 17th
Patronage: Hospitals, Nurses, Bakers, Beggars, Brides, Countesses, Dying Children, Exiled People, Homeless People, Lace Makers, Widows, Third Order Franciscans
