Liutbirg, St.
LIUTBIRG, ST.
Virgin, anchoress; d. c. 876 or 882. Little is known of Liutbirg's origin. Her family appears to have lived in the neighborhood of the Altmühl River (southern Germany). She spent some time in the household of Gisla, daughter of the east Saxon Count Hessi. About 824 she had herself enclosed (see anchorites) in a hermitage attached to the cloister at Wendhausen by Bishop Thiatgrim of Halberstadt. She instructed young girls in church music and handiwork. haymo of halberstadt often sought her prayers and counsel. Since the fifteenth century the day of her death has been variously assigned to February 28 and December 22, 30, or 31. She was buried at Wendhausen. In the eleventh century she was venerated in Quedlinberg.
Feast: Feb. 28.
Bibliography: Acta Sanctorum Feb. 3:723, 768. o. menzel, Das Leben der Liutbirg (Leipzig 1937); "Die heilige Liutbirg," Deutsches Archiv für Geschichte des Mittelalters 2 (1938): 189–193; "Das Leben der Liutbirg," Sachsen und Anhalt 13 (Magdeburg 1937): 78–89. w. grosse, "Kloster Wendhausen, sein Stiftergeschlecht und seine Klausnerin," ibid. 16 (1940): 45–76.
[m. b. ryan]