Dymphna

Saint Dymphna (also: Dympna, Dimpna) was the daughter of a pagan Irish king and his Christian wife in the 7th century AD. She was murdered by her father. The story of St. Dymphna was first recorded in the thirteenth century by a canon of the Church of St. Aubert at Cambrai, commissioned by the Bishop of Cambrai, Guy I (1238–1247 AD). The author expressly states that his writings were based upon a longstanding oral tradition and a persuasive history of inexplicable and miraculous healings of the mentally ill. Dymphna was born in Ireland during the 7th century. Dymphna's father Damon, a petty king of Oriel, was pagan but her mother was a devout Christian. When Dymphna was 14 years old, her mother died. Damon had loved his wife deeply, and...