Saint Alena

Alena, also known as Alène or Alina, is a Christian saint who was martyred around the year 640. She is sometimes referred to as Alena of Forest, Alena of Brussels, or Alena of Belgium, having died in Forest, Belgium, which is now one of the nineteen municipalities of Brussels. The traditional account of Alena's life, dating to the twelfth century, states that she was born in Dilbeek, just outside Brussels, Belgium, to noble pagan parents Levold and Hildegaart. Alena chose to be baptized without the knowledge of her parents. As a Christian, she had to attend Mass secretly. When her father discovered that she was worshipping as a Christian, he came to the conclusion that Christians had bewitched her into conversion. He sent guards to bring her home; she resisted, and during the struggle she lost one arm. She subsequently died in prison due to her injuries. Various (unspecified) miracles were claimed at the burial site of Alena's body, and one of Levold's subjects, Duke Omundus, had his sight restored by invoking Alena's prayers. An angel appeared and took the severed arm to the chapel where she worshipped. Alena's parents were shocked, but the miracles, and the witness given by her determined faith, led them to examine Christianity, and they themselves were converted. The Bishop of Cambrai gave permission for Abbot Godeschalk of Affligem Abbey to enshrine Alena's remains in the Priory of Forest, then a dependency of Affligem, as the relics of a saint on Pentecost Sunday, 19 May 1193. This was effectively a canonisation. The chapel with Alena's relics became a popular place of pilgrimage. Her shrine became incorporated into the parish church of Forest as a chapel which held her cenotaph and relics. By around 1600, her jawbone and upper arm were preserved in the parish church, each in its own jewel-studded reliquary dating from the 15th century.