Welcome to the ONE AND ONLY Saturday matchup of Lent Madness 2025! Today in a battle between two popular saints with fascinating backstories, it's Elizabeth of Hungary vs. Felicity.
Yesterday, Emily Cooper trounced Dunstan 82% to 18% to advance to the Saintly Sixteen.
We'll see you at church for the First Sunday in Lent (Great Litany, anyone?) and then see you back here first thing Monday morning for the first full week of saintly action as Gregory the Great takes on Hugh of Lincoln.
Vote now!
Elizabeth of Hungary
Elizabeth of Hungary is one of those saints whose halo hangs on a frame of simplicity. Though her young marriage was a political exchange, as they often were in 1221, she and her husband, Louis, seemed to have a happy noble marriage. She was highly influenced by the new Third Order of Saint Francis and began to give much of their wealth away, and though Louis did not share her pious leanings, was not bothered by it and believed her actions would bring them eternal reward in the long run. Elizabeth took up the cause of the sick, the poor, the friendless, the lonely, and the homeless.
Elizabeth would bake bread, mend clothes, and take things to people in need; while her husband didn’t mind her sharing her time and talent with the peasants, other nobility believed that she was actively stealing from the castle. When she came upon Louis and others while they were out hunting and she was delivering bread, she was asked what was under her cloak. The first of her canonized miracles is that it was not bread that she had baked for the poor with the castle’s flour, but roses, that fell out from her cope. This sufficed for the questioning gentry and comforted Louis that his wife was doing God’s will with God’s protection.
When Louis died only six years into their marriage, Elizabeth was terribly grief stricken, and it’s not hard to imagine why. She and her husband lived a simple life of caring for each other, but more importantly, of caring for those who God loved. She may have become a princess when she married Louis, but when he died, she was given her dowry back and used it establish a hospital; even in her grief she saw beyond her own need.
Elizabeth is the patron saint of the Third Order of St. Francis and received a blessing from Saint Francis before his death in 1226. She was canonized just four years after her death, in the throes of caring for those in need, by Pope Gregory IX, and we remember her on November 19th. Her halo is a simple story of a life dictated by faith and nobility, by dedication and devotion, and most of all by love and compassion.
Collect for Elizabeth of Hungary
Almighty God, by your grace your servant Elizabeth of Hungary recognized and honored Jesus in the poor of this world: Grant that we, following her example, may with love and gladness serve those in any need or trouble, in the name and for the sake of Jesus Christ; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
Felicity
In 203, in a small town just west of Carthage (in modern day Tunisia), a group of Christian catechumens was arrested. Felicity, along with five others, was transferred to Carthage to be tried in front of the emperor’s regent, Hilarianus. Her story, and that of her fellow martyrs, is told in the text of The Martyrdom of Saints Perpetua and Felicitas.
Felicity is identified early in the text as a young slave woman. She was eight months pregnant when she was brought before the governor. Her crime was being a Christian.
Romans would not send a pregnant woman into the arena. Felicity and her friends were worried that she would not be allowed to join them in their martyrdom, being instead left to die with common criminals. They did not want Felicity to have to “travel alone on the same road to hope.”
Two days before their execution, they gathered together, filled with grief and in fervent prayer. Immediately after their prayer, Felicity went into a difficult labor. Her daughter was born and given to a fellow Christian who raised the girl as her own daughter.
Felicity was greatly relieved, as she would now be able to join the others in the arena. During games commemorating the fourteenth birthday of Geta, the younger son of the Roman Emperor Septimius Severus, Felicity and the other catechumens were sent to the arena. As they approached the spectacle, The Martyrdom of Saints Perpetua and Felicitas reports,
“With them also was Felicitas, glad that she had safely given birth so that now she could fight the beasts, going from one blood bath to another, from the midwife to the gladiator, ready to wash after childbirth in a second baptism.”
Wild beasts were unleashed on the men and a mad heifer was prepared for the women. The women were initially dragged naked in nets into the arena. Seeing their youth and that Felicity had so recently given birth, the crowd was horrified. The women were therefore clothed in unbelted tunics and forced to face the angry cow.
Miraculously, both Felicity and Perpetua survived being trampled. Felicity was injured but helped up by Perpetua. At once they were sentenced to death by the sword. Again from The Martyrdom of Saints Perpetua and Felicitas,
“And so the martyrs got up and went to the spot of their own accord as the people wanted them to, and kissing one another they sealed their martyrdom with the ritual kiss of peace. [They] took the sword in silence and without moving.”
Felicity is a patron saint of mothers who have lost their children.
Collect for Felicity
O God, the King of Saints, who strengthened your servants Perpetua, Felicity, and their companions to make a good confession and to encourage one another in the time of trial: Grant that we who cherish their blessed memory may share their pure and steadfast faith, and win with them the palm of victory; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
248 comments on “Elizabeth of Hungary vs. Felicity”
I again am unable to vote with my iphone. Says I already have voted can vote on my regular computer. Is it a browser issue? I decided to use Microsoft Edge - have safari and duck duck go on phone. Hope its resolved at some point. Unusual year with issues voting and confusion of brackets.
“Vote Not Allowed. (Error 2)”
Huh? Never had that happen before.
Felicity, on behalf of all martyrs, instead of Elizabeth on behalf of all generous and pious royalty. An easy decision for me today.
I tried to vote for Felicity, but was told that I’d already voted.
I was not able to vote today. I understand this may be a programming issue, and will offer healing prayers for your developers. May God help you.
Remarkable women. Felicity short life of sacrifice is admirable.
Yes’m
Marginallizzed again
I love the stories of the martyrs, how they in boldness demonstrate outwardly their unwavering love for Jesus. Felicity and Perpetual are great examples. But, love as compassion for those in need and faithful giving in life without concern for self is more compelling right now in this modern culture of greed and "getting what you deserve" without concern for those around you. Go Elizabeth!
The vote was already in when I finished reading . Glitches happen the readings were amazing who cares who wins !
Marginallizzed again
Yes’m
Again, “thank you for your vote” appeared before I voted!!!
So disappointing, again.
Never voted but got thanked for voting.
For the second day in a row, when I reached the end of passage I am unable to vote and it says “Thank you for your vote”
The strength of the early martyrs is awe-inspiring. It is so hard to hear claims of "Christian persecution" in the West today when we know the story of those whose blood was seed for the faith (taking off on Tertullian, there). I voted for Elizabeth because the simplicity of her generosity and devotion is so much easier to imitate today. And who can resist the phrase, ". . .whose halo hangs on a frame of simplicity"?
It’s extremely hard to vote this time. It needs to be fixed.
I can vote on my iPad, but husband cannot vote on his Chromebook….2 different emails.
Her bravery and trust are heroic.
I tried to reply to the person who was told that they had already voted - the same thing happened to me - but I couldn't even do that.
Especially glitchy this year.
But Elizabeth is ahead & I would've voted for her.
The system "thanked me" for my vote, but I had no chance to vote. The vote field did not come up
When I read about the contestants, I see a note thanking me for my vote although I haven’t voted.
There seems to be an issue with voting this morning. I’ve heard from two others who are having difficulty with voting this morning. Thanks.
I would vote if it would let me.
Again it says “Thank you for your vote” before I even had a chance to vote.
I could not cast my vote. It read “vote not allowed (error #2)”
I haven’t voted and get the message thanks for your vote.
I would have voted for Elizabeth.
Stories of cloaks spilling roses are very popular! I’m going to go with martyrs today. I dedicate my vote for Felicity to Aaron Reynolds, who gave the last full measure of devotion to witnessing against genocide. We are unfortunately here historically in the time of trial; I hope the church will look unflinchingly at martyrdom and openly address its meaning and its role in the life of faith. We are all called to serve. How will we understand the sacrifice of those who may be called to lay down their lives for the poor and despised both at home and globally?
It takes all of the fun out of this when over and over again you’re told you voted when you haven’t! I think I will just have to opt out. Wish you would get this problem fixed. Maybe next year
More technical difficulties! When I finished reading the bios, I got the “Thank you for your vote” message even though I hadn’t voted. PLEASE get this fixed! BTW, I would have voted for Elizabeth of Hungary.
Again, I have been thanked for a vote I did not cast. Two days in a row…it’s Madness.
Tough one today, as both women are great examples of their calling and commitment to their faith. However, Elizabeth’s story and actions of selling her riches to assist the less fortunate is a profound commentary on what is transpiring in these troubling times. The less fortunate are being left behind by billionaires in power who have no understanding of sharing or serving. Elizabeth’s actions are a reminder of Jesus teachings, “it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter heaven.” Today’s collect instructs, “Grant that we, following her example, may with love and gladness serve those in any need or trouble.” Hear, hear.