Dimna/Dympna's feast day is 15 May. Last year on Dympna's feast day
Marleen Cre pfovided us with the following information:
Dympna's town, Geel, is even today renowned as a place where
mentally ill people are integrated within the community. Through the
centuries many Geel families provided a home to mentally ill people,
who learned to function within the family and who were appreciated
for what they were and could contribute to family life. There was
(and is) also a central institution that monitored the patients and
the families they resided in. This treatment of the mentally ill
proved very successful. My aunt once told me that she frequently heard
people speak of their "fool" ("onze zot") affectionately. There are
also quite some good-natured jokes about Geel because of the
visibility of the patients in the life of the town.
Every so many years there is also a Dympna procession that celebrates
the life and martyrdom of the town's patron saint.
Thanks Marleen!
Dr Carolyn Muessig
Department of Theology and Religious Studies
University of Bristol
Bristol BS8 1TB
UK
phone: +44(0)117-928-8168
fax: +44(0)117-929-7850
e-mail: [log in to unmask]
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