Relindis of Maaseik was an 8th-century Benedictine abbess and the daughter of count Adelard. Raised at a monastery in Valenciennes, she and her sister Harlindis later lived in a monastery founded by their parents at Maaseik. Following the death of her sister, she was appointed to lead the community by Saint Boniface. She is primarily recognized for her role in reforming the monastery at Eiken in Brabant and for her artistic talents in painting and embroidery.
Life and work
After the consecration of the Abbey of Aldeneik in 728, Relindis succeeded her sister as abbess. She was known for her skill in embroidery and painting. Although traditionally credited with creating certain vestments, these textiles are actually Anglo-Saxon works from the late ninth century. These items, currently kept in Maaseik, represent some of the earliest surviving examples of such English embroidery.
Veneration
Her devotion spread widely across the diocese of Liège. She is commemorated on 6 February. To honor the sisters, an Ommegang procession occurs every twenty-five years, marking the movement of their relics from the Sint-Anna Church to the Sint-Catharinakerk in Maaseik, with the most recent event taking place in 2022.