Saint Elizabeth of Hungary: Home and Hearth

Fresh flowers adorn the kitchen table.

The morning sun streams through the slats on the shutters of the windows.

Morning coffee and a baked treat fill the house with delicious aromas.

These are some of my favorite homey things. The idea of “home” is so comforting.

Some beloved authors have highlighted why.

As Louisa May Alcott put it:

The power of finding beauty in the humblest things makes home happy and life lovely.

Or, as Jane Austen observed:

There is nothing like staying at home for real comfort.

Miss Austen also perceived, correctly, of course:

Good apple pies are a considerable part of domestic happiness.

Cultivating a Home

Cultivating the domestic arts as a Catholic woman is a holy joy, I have found.

But it encompasses so much more than just decor and good food, though those are important.

The feminine genius is synonymous with “home”: cultivating care and comfort and creating a happy haven for souls.

From incorporating Catholic elements such as a crucifix, a Marian statue, holy cards, and images of the Saints to making meals for family and friends, domestic life offers many opportunities for personal and spiritual growth.

Simple Joys are the Grandeur of Life

I have been reading letters my paternal grandma wrote long ago, praying for her soul as I read about how much we have in common, including things so connected to all that is home: loving to bake and cook and enjoying the beauty of peonies and fall. Coffee always reminds me of my blessed chats with my maternal grandpa. So I sip and pray. These simple domestic joys have a special place in my heart. Blessed conversations mean so much, too, from discussing family history to sharing cherished memories of loved ones.

The blessed things of home and hearth, in my view, are linked to the feminine genius and authentic femininity, and those we naturally care for, because of the One we serve as we serve our kin and neighbor alike. After all, “ … in the midst of our specific responsibilities in the here and now, we can find Christ” (Theology of Home II).

Christ is Our Home

As Catholic women, Christ is the center of our lives and our domestic dwellings. “Christ is already here among our homes and our souls” (Theology of Home). Christ is indeed the heart of home. The haven of home is a lovely concept—how we are nurtured and blessed in the confines within alongside those we love, with Jesus at the center.

Love of Christ compels us to put that love into service of others.

As Emily Malloy, food and floral design editor for Theology of Home, posted recently: “hospitality is also a charism and love in action.”

Of Saint Elizabeth of Hungary and Home

Sweet memories of all things domestic are closer to my heart each year as Thanksgiving approaches and as the Church today celebrates the feast of Saint Elizabeth of Hungary, a pious princess who lived in the 13th century.

Saint Elizabeth of Hungary reminds me that the things of home and hearth are vital, with love as the foundation.

Love … was the basis of her whole life. // The Greatest of These Is Love: The Life of St. Elizabeth of Hungary

Among her charitable endeavors, Saint Elizabeth brought bread to the poor daily, as illustrated in my favorite image of her, “The Charity of St. Elizabeth of Hungary” (1895).

Feeding Body and Soul

When I’m in my kitchen, I feel close to dear Saint Elizabeth. In fact, I received a special answer to prayer on her feast day a few years ago. Often when I am in the kitchen, I think of her and seek her intercession, contemplating how baking and charity are linked. So whether I am baking my paternal grandma’s banana bread (so good) or something pumpkin (bread and muffins are my preference) or making a tried-and-true creation, I focus on how feeding others extends to care for souls.

As Thanksgiving approaches, this poignant quote about the holy witness of another dear Saint comes to mind, too—for it reflects the worthy witness of Saint Elizabeth:

The more we live in an atmosphere of gratitude, the more open our hearts are, and the more God can lead us and visit us. Thérèse understood this thoroughly and tried to practice it all the time …” // The Way of Trust and Love: A Retreat Guide by St. Thérèse of Lisieux by Father Jacques Philippe

Bread, Roses, and Sanctity

The saints are such blessed company. Indeed, as Pope Benedict XVI reminded the faithful, “the saints are friends and models of life for us.”

Did you know roses, such a beloved flower of love amid domestic life, connect Elizabeth and Thérèse? Once, when Elizabeth set off “secretly on an errand of mercy ... the bread she was trying to conceal was suddenly turned into roses.” Thérèse, of course, is known for sending down a shower of roses.

Both holy women died at the young age of 24.

But their loving legacy lives on in our hearts—and homes.

Saint Elizabeth of Hungary: Home and Hearth #BISblog //Click to tweet

Amy Smith is the associate editor of the National Catholic Register, a service of EWTN, and the author of The Plans God Has for You: Hopeful Lessons for Young Women. Amy spends her days drinking coffee while editing features; she likes to write about everything from hope and Saints (her favorites are Thérèse and Gianna) to Jane Austen. You can find out more about her here.

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