Christian feast day: Monegundis

Monegundis was a Frankish hermit and saint. She has been called "a holy recluse". She married and had two daughters, who both died in childhood. Deeply depressed and overcome with grief, she left her husband and became an anchorite in a small cell, living off bread and water. Her fame grew as she performed miracles and became "a leader of a local community of worshippers and attracted those who needed assistance through her gifts of physical healing". She moved to Tours "with her husband's permission", near the shrine and basilica of St. Martin of Tours. Over time, her fame grew there as well, and other women joined her to also become anchorites; eventually, they built a convent there, called St. Pierre-le-Puellier. Her biography was written by hagiographer Gregory of Tours, who was acquainted with her personally, in his De Vita Patrum. Monegundis allegedly performed many miracles during her lifetime and after her death. She died in about 570. Her feast day is 2 July.