Vatican City, Oct 20, 2010 / 12:46 pm
In his weekly general audience Oct. 20, the Pope said that St. Elizabeth of Hungary, a daughter of royalty, should be a model for all who hold authority in society.
Elizabeth was born in 1207, the daughter of Hungary’s King Andrew II. Yet her privileged upbringing never led her to compromise her faith or lord her position above her subjects, Pope Benedict XVI said.
She "behaved before God as she behaved towards her subjects," he said, calling her "a true example for everyone who holds positions of leadership.”
"The exercise of authority at all levels, must be practiced as a service to justice and charity, in the constant search for the common good," the Pope said.
Elizabeth managed to develop a "sincere love" for her husband Ludwig despite the fact the their union was arranged for political reasons when she was very young. It was at his death that she dedicated herself fully to the care of the poor, bringing herself closer to them in her relationship with the religious order, the Franciscan Friars Minor.