St. Dymphna

DYMPHNA was born in Ireland in the seventeenth century. Her father. Damon, a chieftain of great wealth and power, was a pagan. Her mother was a very beautiful a devout Christian.
      Dymphna was fourteen when her mother died. Her father was so sad that he sent messenger everywhere to find some woman of noble birth like his wife, who would be willing to marry him. When non could be found, his evil advisers told him to marry his own daughter. Dymphna fled from her castle together with a priest, St. Gerebran, and two other friends.
      Damon found them in Belgium. He gave orders that the priest's head be cut off. Then he tried to make his daughter return to Ireland with him and marry him. When she refused, he drew his sword and struck off her head. She was then only fifteen years of age.
      St. Dymphna is the patron of those who suffer with mental illness, because her father acted as a man out of his mind when he killed his own daughter.