Saint Rolende de Gerpinnes

Rolende of Gerpinnes, or Saint Rolende, born in the 8th century and died in Villers-Poterie (in present-day Belgium) around 774, was the daughter of Desiderius, King of the Lombards, who was exiled to Gaul, and his wife Ansia. According to popular belief, she fled an arranged marriage to dedicate her life to God, intending to take refuge in a monastery in Cologne, but died of exhaustion along the way. Her cult and legend developed in the Entre-Sambre-et-Meuse region, particularly in Gerpinnes, where a march is organized annually in the saint's honor. Liturgically, Saint Rolende is commemorated on May 13.