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| Image: Saint Judith of Prussia |
She lived in the 13th Century and was born to a wealthy family in Thuringia (now Germany). She wanted to model her life after Saint Elizabeth of Hungary who lived in the previous century. At 15 years old she was married to a man of equal rank and they raised a family. Though they had great wealth, Saint Jutta decided to live in a simple way and share their wealth with the poor. Her husband didn’t agree but eventually gave in and was won over by Jutta’s humility and piety. On a pilgrimage to the Holy Land, her husband died leaving her to take care and raise the children alone. Once they were all grown, she rid herself of her expensive clothes, jewellery and other possessions and joined the Third Order of St Francis and committed herself to taking care of the poor and ill, even though she was mocked for this due to her high rank in society. In the last years of her life, she lived as a hermitess in a simple hut in Prussia where she spent her days in prayer and penance for the conversion of the pagan Prussians. After she died, many miracles attributed to her occurred at her grave.
