Our Story
Ursula and Companions
St Ursula and Companions, Moretto, 1530, Church of St. Clement, Brescia
The Dream of Ursula (detail), Carpaccio, 15th Century, Gallerie dell'Accademia, Venice
St Ursula, E. Weinert, Cologne
The Legend of St Ursula
The historical evidence of Ursula’s life has been lost in the mist of time. However, the relationship between Angela and Ursula is strong, and led to Angela placing her Company under the patronage of St Ursula. She wanted her companions to be imbued with the Spirit of Ursula.
As legend tells us Ursula, was the daughter of a Christian king living in Britain in the 4th Century. She grew into a young woman of deep faith.
The king of a larger more powerful kingdom asked for her hand in marriage for his son. Fearful of the superior strength of the other king’s army she agreed, however, she asked for some time before the marriage took place. With great confidence she requested that the marriage would not take place until “her husband to be” converted to Christianity and that they undertake a pilgrimage to the Holy Land and Rome. Then on their return they would marry. Eager to have her as his bride the prince agreed to her requests.
Ursula together with her entourage of maidens, companions and "her husband to be" began their pilgrimage to the Holy Land. Strong winds blew them off course and they eventually arrived in Cologne. While Ursula and her companions were in Cologne she had a dream that they would be martyred on their return. Undaunted by this dream she prepared her companions and together they faced their death with great courage, conviction and faith.
A basilica was built in Cologne dedicated to virgin martyrs as far back as the 3rd century. It was rebuilt in the middle ages by Clematius. This is fact. Many and varied legends of Ursula exist, and much of this information is conjectural. "What is fact is that in the far off past, in a known place, virgins chose to suffer death rather than be false to their love of Christ." ( Teresa Ledochowska, osu Angela Merici and the Company of St Ursula)
The Relationship Between Angela and Ursula
The legend of Ursula and the Virgins of Cologne was wide spread. As a young child Angela and her siblings would have heard the stories from the "Golden Legend" of Jaques de Voragines published in 1475. The Spirit of Ursula would have captured the imagination of Angela a young woman of deep faith.
The Spirit of Ursula
- A woman of deep courage,
- A risk taker
- A woman of dedication and fidelity to Jesus Christ
- A leader of young women
- A woman of dignity
- An independent woman of her time.