St. Dymphna, the Lily of Eire and patroness of mental health

"My favorite of this celestial company was St. Dymphna … I found a frame for [her holy card] … and for many decades, it sat on my desk in Whitehall, to the amusement or consternation of my colleagues. I had the private enjoyment of knowing, alone among all who labour within the Foreign Office, that St. Dymphna is the patroness of those afflicted with nervous disorders. In my profession I will accept all available assistance (Excerpted from "Enter the Lion: A Posthumous Memoir of Mycroft Holmes," Hawthorn Books, 1979).

Since the indefatigable Patrick, the isle of saints and scholars has bequeathed a wealth of sanctity to the Catholic Church. Today, the multiplicity of psychological disorders in modern life has caused an upsurge of devotion to a lesser-known Irish saint.

The second annual St. Dymphna Mass for Mental Healthcare Workers, sponsored by UTG at Work, will take place Saturday, May 17, 2025, at the National Shrine of the Little Flower Basilica in Royal Oak. This event is free, but a free-will offering is appreciated. Please register here.

The brief history of the blessed Dymphna — also called Dimpna, Dymfna, Dimfna, Dympna and Dympha or, in Gaelic, Damhnait or Davnet — could have been written by the brothers Grimm. Dymphna’s life begins with her being born an Irish princess living in familial happiness turning into unexpected high adventure alive with intrigue, danger, tragedy and ultimate vindication. The Catholic Encyclopedia notes:

"The earliest historical account of Dymphna’s veneration dates from the middle of the thirteenth century. Under Bishop Guy I of Cambrai (1238-47), Pierre, a canon of the church of Saint Aubert at Cambrai, wrote a 'Vita' of the saint, from which we learn that she had been venerated for many years in a church at Gheel (province of Antwerp, Belgium), which was devoted to her. The author expressly states that he has drawn his biography from oral tradition."

So, without verification from official records, Canon Pierre did what he could to explain how a pious, Irish princess became venerated in Belgium.

In the early 600s, Damon was a Celtic chieftain of Oriel, now County Louth in Northern Ireland. Among the last of the pagan kings in Eire, he became enamored of and eventually married a beautiful, devout, Catholic woman whose name Canon Pierre failed to record. Remaining a pagan, Damon so loved with his queen, he welcomed her Catholic beliefs.

Dymphna’s birth gladdened her parents. The queen, as expected, took charge of her daughter’s education, aided by the saintly family chaplain and confessor, Father Gerebranus (or Gerebernus), instilling in the girl a deep sense of gratitude for the Lord’s sacrificial death on the cross. By the age of 14, the beautiful Princess Dymphna, so much in love with Jesus, vowed herself to a life of chastity and devotion to caring for those in need.

Unexpectedly, the queen died. Damon was devastated. The subjects of Oriel commiserated with their chieftain, but, obsessed by the death of his beloved wife, Damon sank further into despondency, losing interest in his domain. Thinking of his wellbeing, counsellors suggested the realm be scoured to find a woman resembling the queen in beauty and charm; Damon was amenable to the plan.

When the search proved fruitless, seeing how Princess Dymphna so resembled her mother, another counsellor suggested that Damon marry her to alleviate his grief. Damon agreed to this solution.

With affectionate gestures and sweet words Damon made his intentions known to his daughter. Dymphna was horrified at the prospect, but held her peace, asking only for 40 days to consider the proposal.

Informing Father Gerebranus, they concluded that flight was the only answer, until such time as Damon came to his senses. Dymphna packed a bag, bringing plenty of the gold coins minted in Oriel. She and Father Gerebranus were aided in their escape by the court jester and his wife, an intriguing feature of this tale the good canon failed to chronicle further.

The fugitives made good their escape, booking passing on a ship crossing the North Sea, bound for Europe. They landed at Antwerp, a port city on the River Schelde in the Flanders region of Belgium. The priest and princess found the obscure hamlet of Geel (spelled “Gheel” until the late 20th century), where they were hospitably welcomed.

Here, Dymphna joyfully put into practice the principles of patience, compassion and understanding she learned from the Gospels. Her gentle manner and great love for Jesus produced many miracles of mental and spiritual healing, while Father Gerebranus brought the consolation of the sacraments to those newly born in Christ.

Months passed. Instead of shunning the mentally ill, the socially distressed, the spiritually confused, Dymphna’s example taught the inhabitants of Geel to live Jesus’ spiritual and corporal works of mercy.

And then Damon arrived.

Traveling with his bodyguard, Damon followed the track of a young woman spending foreign gold coins to pay her way. Dymphna had been crafty, but Damon was still mad with desire for his daughter.

He found Dymphna outdoors with Father Gerebranus, resting in the shade of a tree. Her father pleaded with his daughter to return. Father Gerebranus rebuked Damon in the name of Christ for wishing to lead his child into sin. One of the soldiers drew his heavy broadsword — with the same ferocious stroke he beheaded the loyal, holy priest.

With the priest dead, Damon lost all restraint and self-control. He demanded Dymphna return as his wife. Dymphna knelt before him and prayed that he would be forgiven the death of her confessor. She professed a daughter’s love for her father but had given her heart to Jesus, commending her soul to His mercy.

Infuriated, Damon struck off her head with his sword and departed the region. Canon Pierre says no more about him.

The inhabitants of Geel entombed the bodies of Dymphna and Gerebranus in a nearby cave. She had lived 15 years, dying on May 15, sometime between the years 620-640.

Miracles began to occur when Dymphna’s intercession was sought. People suffering from insanity were healed by sleeping on the same spot where she had been killed. The bodies of the martyrs, now venerated as saints, were removed from the cave and placed in a small church, which burned down in 1489. The new church, consecrated in 1532, still stands. Episodes from Dymphna’s life are featured on the oak altarpiece.

Every year, on May 15 and on the Tuesday after Pentecost, numerous pilgrims visit the shrine of the Lily of Eire. By the 17th century an attachment to the church was built for them, called the Infirmary of St. Elizabeth and staffed by the Sisters of St. Augustine. When it proved inadequate, Geel’s residents continued to follow Saint Dymphna’s example, opening their homes to distressed souls, mentally ill and treating them with kindness in the name of Jesus.

Regarding Geel’s hospitality, Britannica states, “This practice has continued into the 21st century and has drawn the interest of many psychologists and psychiatrists as a more-humane alternative to placing people with mental health conditions in institutions.”

Due to her father’s insane rage and the miraculous healings that continue at her intercession, St. Dymphna is revered as the patroness of people suffering from epilepsy, anxiety, desperation and nervous disorders, as well as mental health professionals. She is called upon for protection by runaways, victims of incest, human trafficking, and sexual and domestic abuse.

In art, St. Dymphna may be shown holding a book of the Gospels, but is more often depicted with a sword in her hand, reflecting how she died, and a small black demon or dragon under her feet showing her as a powerful protector against evil, spiritual, mental and physical. The feast day of Saints Dymphna and Gerebranus is May 15. Geel celebrates that day every five years with a procession and a theatrical event during which townspeople act out incidents of her life and martyrdom.

More information may be obtained from the National Shrine of St. Dymphna, found at St. Mary Catholic Church, 206 Cherry Rd NE, Massillon OH 44646. Email [email protected].

Sean M. Wright, MA, award-winning journalist, Emmy nominee, and Master Catechist for the Archdiocese of Los Angeles, is a parishioner at Our Lady of Perpetual Help in Santa Clarita, CA. In the interest of full transparency, with the late Michael P. Hodel, he edited Mycroft Holmes’ memoir, "Enter the Lion." He answers comments at [email protected].