Two saints, two aristocrats: Saint Elisabeth of Hungary and Saint Isabella of Portugal, a religious and cultural itinerary between Central Europe and Portugal

2B - Theology and Theory

Elisabeth of Hungary (1207-1231), princess/landgrave of Thuringia, and Isabella (Isabel-Elisabeth) of Aragon (1271-1336), queen of Portugal, were two nobles who became famous due to their acts and religious practices. They are linked by the deep faith they felt, the Religious Order they followed (Saint Francis), their humble lives and the services they paid to poor and sick people. They are also related by the royal blood of Hungary’s House/Empire of Arpad, with Saint Isabella of Portugal being the great-niece of Elisabeth of Hungary (San Vicente, 1995). They are equally linked by the miracle that, among others, earned them immortality: “the miracle of the roses”.

With this paper, after a biographical approach to these entities, we seek to draw a religious and cultural itinerary interlinking Central Europe and Portugal, based upon the great devotion to Saint Isabel which still survives in at least Portugal almost some seven hundred years later. This religiosity is present in, among other events, the great Isabella celebrations in the city of Coimbra. We propose that this itinerary will be a source of inspiration for tour guides, travel agencies and academics.