Here's a Saint I've never heard of until I read this in the Kate Greenaway Book of Days.
In the Book of Saints there is this very strange story about Ursula
And this is the accompanying picture
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| Martyrdom of St Ursula. A Miniature from the Grandes Heures d'Anne De Bretagne |
I only know of one person named Ursula . The daughter of a lady who I worked with in the library. Ursula later went on to manage the same library for many years until she retired recently. Definitely not a name as common as Susan!
How many Ursula's do you know?
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Sue
Maybe it's a more common name in Germany than here; I know of two Ursula's, both of whom had German parents - and both usually known as Ula. It's common for numbers to get exaggerated in these old stories which is hardly surprising when so few people could count. I imagine their counting was about the same as my friends' little daughter who proudly announced that she could count, and demonstrated it by counting slowly as far as twenty. "And do you know what comes after twenty?" I asked. "Lots of other numbers" came the reply.
ReplyDeleteSmart girl!
DeleteI've heard of St Ursula but did not know her hagiography. I have a German friend Ursula.
ReplyDeleteToday also marks British Apple Day, Trafalgar Day, the day French women got the vote, many more, and my birthday!
Happy Birthday. Hope you have a tasty meal to celebrate with. Oh, and chocolate too!
DeleteHope you are having a very Happy Birthday.
DeleteMy daughter is 40 today! I actually met a lady called Ursula on Friday morning. When I commented that her name was unusual, she said "there's not many about apart from Ursula Andress" I remembered later there's an Ursula in the village. But both of these women are in their 80s
ReplyDeleteSeems to be a very uncommon name - maybe it will come into fashion one day as names do
DeleteAn uncommon name, and I don't think I met anyone called that in my travels either.
ReplyDeleteClearly the Hun leader was used to getting his way. I think that the numbers of her followers may have been a little exaggerated!
I agree about the numbers - a strange story
DeleteI have only ever met one Ursula, a friend if mine back in the 80's named her daughter Ursula Amy. Such beautiful names I think. There were many Carol 's in my school. I was the only one with an e. I have an e on my name only because the Registrar told my parents he couldn't put Carol as that was the male name. So Carole I am. My students used to call me "Carole with an E" jokingly of course .
ReplyDeleteWe have two ladies at the keep moving group called Carole and both have an e on the end, I wondered why and now I know
DeleteI too have only ever known one person called Ursula, she was a girl the same age as me who lived on our road when I was growing up. Her Mum thought herself way above everyone else and wouldn't let Ursula play out with us. On the one occasion she was out on the street and we went over to talk to us her Mum chased us away, shouting after me 'Susie, Susie you are an obnoxious girl' ... gosh that memory has stuck for a few years, I can't remember what I said to deserve that though!!
ReplyDeleteOh dear. Funny how some things stick in the mind.
DeleteI don't know any Ursulas.
ReplyDeleteA very unusual tale about the Saint.
Alison in Wales x
The Saints never had happy lives all those years ago did they!
DeleteI knew a young woman called Ursula her parents were German living over in the UK for many years. Ursula had been one of her grandmother's names. That is the only Ursula I have ever known. Regards Sue H
ReplyDeleteNot many Ursulas around for sure.
DeleteI've known a couple of Ursulas, both of whom had quite a time with people not knowing how to pronounce it! It seems to mean little bear, oddly.
ReplyDeleteI don't know any Ursulas. That many maidservants seems a bit far-fetched! My ex-boss named his daughter Romy, another name I'd never heard of...although he said there was an actress with that name (before my time I think).
ReplyDeleteRomy Schneider!! Did the Sissi movies I saw as a teenager in france.
Deletevery amazing work!
ReplyDeleteI don't think I have even met an Ursula, let alone know one. Sadly the story of a spurned man killing the object of his desire still crops up far too regularly in the news :(
ReplyDeleteUrsula is not a common name, and I have not come across anyone with the name.
ReplyDeleteThe tale of St. Ursula is quite the story. Never to be totally proved or disproved.
I have never met an Ursula :)
ReplyDeleteI do think of some of the legends attributed to the saints as folkloric tales. Ursula is a new one to me too. Arilx
ReplyDeleteThe only Ursula I know of is Ursula Andress, the sexy actress in the first James Bond movie Dr. No. I just read that she is now 88!
ReplyDeleteSt Ursula was the saint I initially wanted to choose for my Confirmation when I was 14, I was so moved by her martyrdom.
ReplyDelete