Adalsinda


Adalsinda is a Catholic saint, with a feast day of 5 May, especially venerated in Douai, France.
She was the child of Saint Richtrudis and Adalbard duke of Douai. Her siblings Clotsinda, Maurontius and Eusebia of Douai are also Pre-congregational saints.
Adalsinda became a religious in Hamaye-les-Marchienne in the diocese of Arras, where the prioress was her own sister, Eusebia. The priory had been founded by a relative, Gertrude of Hamage. Adalsinda died around 714.

Eusebia of Douai

St. Eusebia of Douai was born about 637, the eldest daughter of Rictrude and Adalbard. Maurontius of Douai was her elder brother. According to Agnes Baillie Dunbar, Queen Nanthild was Eusebia's godmother and had gifted her with the fine estate of Verny near Soissons.
Upon her father's death, Eusebia and her mother and sisters went to Marchiennes Abbey, which had been founded by her parents. However, at the request of her grandmother, Gerberte, daughter of the Merovingian noblewoman, Saint Geretrude, who had founded the Abbey at Hamay-les-Marchiennes near Arras. Eusebia was sent to Hamay-les-Marchiennes. This is consistent with a monastic system controlled by the ruling, landholding class that was closely linked to the Merovingian monarchy.
At her death, Gerberte named Eusebia her successor as abbess. Eusebia was but twelve years old, and her mother considering her too young for such responsibility, placed Hamay under the direction of Marchiennes. Eusebia eventually returned to Hamay, where she became abbess. Her younger sister Adalsinda later joined her there. Abbess Eusebia died around 680. In Belgium she is called Isoie or Eusoye.