Handmade St. Elizabeth of Hungary Figure

Product Description

Patron of Nurses

Elizabeth (1207-31) was a queen of Hungary. Throughout her time at court she, however, lived a separate life. For a time she smuggled so many provisions out of the castle to the poor in the village below that she was severely rebuked. Her association with roses (one tops the enclosed small plaque) comes from a story about a member of the court catching her, cloak full of food meant for the poor, and demanding she show him what she had beneath the cloak. When she opened it, roses fell forth. Against the wishes of those in her class, she built a hospital in the basement of the castle and regularly fed and tended to the poor and suffering herself, providing the poor food, money, and work. In 1227 her husband died and Elizabeth moved to Marburg, where she received the habit and chord of the Franciscans and, with what remained of her inheritance, established a hospital for the sick, aged, and poor. At this time, care of the sick usually was performed in hospitals only by men, but Elizabeth went against this norm and labored as a nurse. Her work was so strenuous that her health broke and she died several years after establishing her second hospital. All this work for the sick and suffering resulted in her being one of the patrons of nurses. One of the most extraordinary things about her was not simply her generosity and work to heal and comfort the sick but also the fact that she chose to do this work when other areas of life (for instance at court) were open to her.
This original design was handmade by Hank Schlau and hand painted by his wife Karen. Suitable to be place outdoors to hang or stand. Comes gift boxed with history card of the saint.

4.25 x 2.5 x .75 inches