ST. BLANCHE 123 St. Bienvenue, Benvenuta. St. Bilhild (1), BiLDEGHILDE, BiLDS. HILDIS, BiTHILD, BiTIHILD, BlITHILD, Feb. 15; with her husband, Oct. 28. 7th century. A woman of high rank. Mar- ried St. Faro, a nobleman at the court of Clothaire 11., early in the 7th cen- tury. Faro and Bilhild seryed Grod to- gether to the best of their ability, until at last he found so many hindrances and distractions that they agreed to separate. Bilhild took the veil, and settled in a solitary place on one of their estates, supposed to be now Champigny. Faro became a monk, and, in 627, was made Bishop of Meaux. The devil, who is always watching to destroy the just, troubled him with memories of his wife. He sent three times to ask her to come and see him. At last she came ; but, lest she should expose the servant of God to the traps of Satan, she cut off all her hair, and put on ugly old clothes and a cilicium. He admired her courage, and, shuddering at the sight of her, sent her away. She then became a nun under his sister, St. Fara. Bucelinus. Mon- talembert, Moines, Saussaye, Mart, 0(d. St Bilhild (2), GuNTiLD (1). St Bilhild (3), Nov. 27. 8th cen- tury. Abbess and widow. Born, to- wards the end of the 7th century, at Hochheim. Daughter of the noble Ibe- rim and Mechtrida. She was brought up at Wurtzburg, and married very jonng to Duke Hottan. When she was eighteen her husband was killed in battle, and her only child died. She built the nunnery of Altmtinster, or Antiquacella, at Maintz. She was christ- ened by her uncle Sigeberl;, bishop of that city, and ruled over a large com- munity. The monastery was afterwards called AlhcLS Daminas, " White Ladies," and stood until the end of the 18th cen- tury. Her name is in the German, French, and Benedictine Martyrologies. Lechner. The Eev. Baring-Gould gives her Life from the Maintz Breviary. Molanus. Bucelinus. St Bilhild (4), or Blithild. A nun whom St. PraBJectus, bishop of Clermont, and martyr, called *< a worthy servant of Christ," and held in great veneration. Saussaye, Mart, GaLy p. 1219. St. Birg^tta, Brigid of Sweden. St. Birona, Beata (1). Bissia of Alexandria, July 28. Mart, Biche. St. Bistamona, June 4. Sister of St. Dibamona, and daughter of St. Sophia — all martyred in Egypt. Gnerin supposes her to be the same as Elpis, or Esp^RANCE. {See Faith, Hope, and Charity.) AA,SS. Petits Bol- landistes. B. Bivia, companion of B. Catherine MoRioiA, and one of the first nuns of the Order of St. Ambrose ad Nemus. Helyot, Ord. Mon., iv. 9. St Blaesilla, Jan. 22. f^oO. A disciple of St Jerome. Her husband died seven months after their marriage. After Blaesilla's death, St. Jerome wrote letters of condolence to her mother, St. Paula, and her sister, St. Eubtochium. Bollandus gives several extracts from his letters, setting forth her virtues and piety. Boll., AA.SS. Blanca (i), Alda. Blanca (2), Blanche. St Blanche (l), Nov. 30. c, 1187- 1253. Wife of Louis Vlll., king of France (1223-1226). Mother of St. Louis (IX.) (1226-1270). She was the eldest of the eleven or twelve daughters of Alfonso IX., king of Castillo (1188- 1214). Three of her sisters were queens respectively of Portugal, Leon, and Arragon. Her mother was the daughter of Henry II., king of England. Philip II., called " Augustus " and " the Great," king of France (1180-1223), desired, for political reasons, to make an alliance with England and with Spain by marrying his son Louis to the daughter of the King of Castillo. John, king of England, also favoured the project. Eleanor of Guienne had married, first, Louis YII. of France, from whom she was divorced; and secondly, Henry II. of England. She was thus grandmother of Louis YIII. and of Blanche, and took great part in negotiating the marriage. As soon as the arrangements were concluded, she went to Castillo as ambassador for the two kings, to propose for the Princess Blanche and to fetch her. The marriage was celebrated, by proxy (c. 1200), at Burgos, with great magnificence*
