I am reminded of your sincere faith, which first lived in your grandmother Lois and in your mother Eunice and, I am persuaded, now lives in you also. 2 Timothy 1:5
Who was Ludmila of Bohemia?
Susan Halstead writes: “The daughter of a prince named Slavibor, Ludmila was born around 860 in Mělník and married at an early age to Bořivoj I, Duke of Bohemia. It was probably through the efforts of Saints Cyril and Methodius, the ‘apostles of the Slavs’ that the couple were converted to Christianity in 874, becoming the first Christian rulers of the dukedom. However, their attempts to convert their subjects were greeted with such hostility that for a time they were driven out of the land, but after a while they were able to return and ruled in peace for several years before retiring to Tetín, near Beroun, leaving their son Spytihněv to rule in his father’s place.
However, after only two years Spytihněv died, and his brother Vratislav succeeded to the dukedom. Vratislav’s wife Drahomíra had remained a pagan, and grew increasingly resentful of the influence of Ludmila over their son Václav. She had been largely responsible for the upbringing of her grandson, and when Vratislav died in 921, Ludmila, now a widow, acted as regent for the young Václav [also known as Wenceslas]. Drahomíra’s jealousy became so intense that on 15 September 921 she despatched two assassins to murder Ludmila in her castle at Tetín; tradition has it that they strangled her with her own veil. Her body was initially buried in the castle church of St. Michael, but at some date before 1100 it was reinterred in the basilica of St. George in Prague.”
According to Legenda Christiani: “She was generous with alms, persevering in nocturnal devotions, devout in prayers, and perfect in charity and humble among the unknowing. She was so willing in her care for God’s servants that to those to whom she was unable to offer help during the light of day, she would send urgent help through her servants during the dark of night…This mother to orphans, consoler to widows, and indefatigable visitor of the fettered and imprisoned was perfect in all good deeds.”
Ludmila of Bohemia (860-921).
If there was richness in the faith of Timothy, the “true son” of the Apostle Paul, it flowed from the faith of his mother, Eunice, and his grandmother, Lois. Pause and thank God for your mother and grandmother(s) (if they are still living) forward this email to them and express gratitude.
I’ve posted quotes from Cyril and Methodius in the past but this is the first about Ludmila. I want to point out her influence as a mother and grandmother. Speaking of influence, I give thanks for my wife, Jenni, who is the greatest mother ever and now she’s a grandmother!
It’s a good and yet dangerous thing when people of influence, like Ludmila, seek to turn the people of their land toward Christ. That’s her story. She and her husband were the first Christian rulers of Bohemia. They were driven away for this, but then later returned.
Notice that Ludmila’s reputation was “mother to orphans, consoler to widows, and indefatigable visitor of the fettered and imprisoned was perfect in all good deeds” and that as a grandmother she “acted as regent for the young Václav.”
You might ask, what impact did she have? It’s true her life was cut short. So, as I board my flight today for Frankfurt and then connect to Prague, I want to keep you in suspense. But I will offer this clue. Her grandson that she helped raise, Václav, is also known as Wenceslas.
Sometimes the greatest impact and the most generous contribution we can make in the world is being a indefatigable mother to children and a grandmother to grandchildren or indefatigable father to children and grandfather to grandchildren.
And please pray for my safe travel to Prague today. Thank you. I will share more on the purpose of the trip tomorrow.