While many are familiar with the English Christmas carol “Good King Wenceslaus,” few know the real story behind the popular song, or the saint who helped Wenceslaus become, “good.”
Interestingly, St. Wenceslaus was influenced primarily by his grandmother, who was a devout Catholic during a time when paganism was becoming popular again.
St. Ludmila the Grandmother
St. Ludmila was among the first Christians in Bohemia, which is modern-day Czechia.
In fact, she was baptized by St. Methodius, the first successful missionary to the Slavic people.
One of her sons, Wratislaw, became the Duke of Bohemia, and the Catholic Encyclopedia explains what happens next:
Wratislaw was married to Drahomira, a pretended Christian, but a secret favorer of paganism. They had twin sons, St. Wenceslaus and Boleslaus the Cruel, the former of whom lived with Ludmilla at Tetin. Wratislaw died in 916, leaving the eight-year-old Wenceslaus as his successor.
As St. Wenceslaus lived with his grandmother, she was able to raise him in the Catholic faith, protecting him from the influence of his pagan mother.
Unfortunately this is precisely what would lead to her martyrdom.
Jealous of the great influence which Ludmilla wielded over Wenceslaus, Drahomira instigated two noblemen to murder her. She is said to have been strangled by them with her veil.
Later on St. Wenceslaus would also become a martyr, when he was killed by his own brother, who was similarly influenced by his mother, Drahomira.
St. Ludmila remains a powerful example for all grandmothers, who try to influence their grandchildren and hope that they will remain faithful to the Catholic Church.
And today we celebrate...