Dymphna of Geel

Saint Dymphna is a 7th-century Irish princess, daughter of a pagan king named Damon and a Christian queen. After her mother's death, her father, afflicted by grief and madness, developed an incestuous love for her, as she strongly resembled his late wife. Faithful to her Christian faith and her vows of chastity, Dymphna fled Ireland with her confessor, Father Gerebernus, and a few loyal servants. They crossed the sea and settled in Gheel (Geel), Belgium. Her father eventually tracked them down by tracing the currency Dymphna had used. In his rage, he ordered the execution of Gerebernus, and then, faced with Dymphna's steadfast refusal to yield to his desires, he beheaded her himself. This martyrdom occurred around the year 620. Her cult developed in Gheel, where a sanctuary was erected and where miracles of healing mental disorders were reported, making her the patron saint of those suffering from mental, nervous, and emotional illnesses. The care of these individuals in Gheel became a model of community-based treatment, unique in its humanitarian approach and community integration.