Saint Casilda: The Muslim Princess who converted to Christianity
The saint of the day for April 9 is St. Casilda of Toledo. Saint Casilda, the daughter of a Muslim king, was born in Toledo, Spain in the 11th century. Raised Muslim, she embraced her faith, but showed much kindness to Christian prisoners. Against her father's wishes, Casilda often visited the prisoners, smuggling in food for them in the folds of her dress. On one occasion, she was stopped by prison guards, who demanded she disclose what she was hiding in her clothing. When she opened the folds of her skirt, the bread she carried miraculously turned into roses. Thus, St. Casilda is frequently depicted in religious art as carrying a basket or a bunch of roses. As a young woman, she became ill, most likely from a hemorrhagic fever, common at the time, for which there was no cure. She refused the help of Muslim physicians, but instead, journeyed to northern Spain to the shrine of San Vicenzo de Briviesca, which was renowned for its healing waters and miraculous cures. There, ...