Isabel was sister to the great king of France, St. Louis IX, in the 13th century. Not only was she royal and wealthy, but she also had a sharp intellect and was a highly accomplished lady. She left aside all of these advantages of life as a princess, however, and sought holiness above everything.

Even as a girl, she was known for fervent prayer and fasting. She loved learning and studied Latin so that she could pray the liturgy of the hours and read the Church Fathers.

Isabel refused to be married, even when famous men courted her. Once, the pope wrote to her directly to encourage her to marry the king of Jerusalem for the good of Christendom, but her refusal to him was so humble and wise that he acknowledged her desire to dedicate her life to God alone.

Every day, before she ate her dinner, Isabel would seat poor people at her table and serve them herself. She would spend the evening visiting others who were sick and poor.

She established a convent for Franciscan nuns, asking St. Bonaventure to write up the rule of life for the community, and named it the Monastery of the Humility of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

Isabel never joined the community herself, but did live in the monastery in a room separate from the nun’s cells. She suffered from illnesses during her life, and these prevented her from following the rule of life for the nuns—this was one reason she refused to be named abbess of the monastery. That also allowed her to keep her wealth and resources, so she could support the community and continue to give to the poor. She kept a discipline of silence for most of her day.

Isabel understood the connection between the Eucharist and its call to service. Jesus washed the feet of his disciples at the Last Supper, which calls us to humble ourselves in love for others. Before she received communion herself, Isabel always begged forgiveness, on her knees, of the few servants that she retained.

Her life of prayer was marked by ecstasies at several points of her life, including a period of time near the end of her life when she stayed awake through several nights in rapt contemplation. She died in 1270 and her image is used here with permission from Catholic.org.

St. Isabel of France, who had the known world at her fingertips and left it all to serve God and the poor—pray for us!