Born in Soissons; died c. 705. With the encouragement of
Saint Ouen (f.d. August 24),
Bertila convinced her parents to allow her to enter
the convent at Jouarre, near Meaux, in Brie, France. There she was
trained in sanctity at the school of
Saint Columbanus (f.d. November 21)
and later was received as a professed nun by
Saint Thelchildes (f.d. June 28).
Bertila was convinced that she could never deserve to be the spouse of
Jesus Christ, unless she endeavoured to follow him in the path of
humiliation and self-denial. By her perfect submission to all her
sisters, she seemed everyone's servant. Her whole conduct was a model
of humility, obedience, regularity, and devotion.
She held the offices of infirmarian, headmistress of the convent school,
and prioress. When
Saint Bathildis (f.d. January 30),
the English wife
of Clovis II, restored the convent of Chelles, she asked the abbess to
send to it her most experienced and virtuous sisters. Saint Bertila was
made its first abbess and she governed it for half a century. Many
placed themselves under her direction, including Queen Bathildis
herself, when Clotaire reached his majority.
The Venerable Bede writes that many Anglo-Saxon girls, including
Saint Hereswitha (f.d. September 3),
wife of King Anna of the East Angles,
sister of
Saint Hilda (f.d. November 17),
and mother of Saints,
Sexburga (f.d. July 6),
Withburga (f.d. July 8), and
Ethelburga (f.d. October 12),
were also attracted to Chelles under her governance. Thus, two holy
queens vied with Bertila to outdo one another in submission, charity,
and humility
(
Benedictines,
Encyclopaedia,
Husenbeth,
Walsh).
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