St. Dymphna was born in Ireland to a non-Christian father, who became mentally disturbed sought to marry his own daughter. She fled, but he eventually found her and killed her. She is the patroness of those in mental distress and victims of incest.
Read the full St Dymphna novena on the novena page. You can also learn more about novenas here.
The Life of St. Dymphna
St. Dymphna was born in Ireland in the early 600s to a pagan father but devout Catholic mother.
As a girl, she pledged her chastity to God.
Her mother died, and it led her father to become mentally disturbed. Through evil suggestions, he sought to marry his own daughter (Dymphna).
St. Dymphna fled and established a hospital in another country, but her father found her about a year later and killed her.
Her gentleness and deep faith led her to be declared heroically virtuous even in the face of awful sufferings.
St. Dymphna is the patroness of those suffering nervous and mental afflictions as well as victims of incest.