Adelina de Savigny was a 12th-century Benedictine nun and abbess from Normandy. Born around 1099, she was the sister of Saint Vitalis, the founder of the Savigny monastic order. Following her brother's establishment of the Abbaye Blanche in Mortain, she served as the community's first leader. Under her guidance, the nuns practiced a rigorous version of the Rule of Saint Benedict while wearing habits made of undyed wool.
Life and role
As a noblewoman, Adelina took a religious role within the monastic community founded by her brother. She led the Abbaye Blanche, a convent established in 1112. The community followed strict Benedictine traditions. Although the monastery later joined the Cistercian order, Adelina's leadership occurred during the early years of the institution's existence in France.
Veneration
The Catholic Church recognizes her as a saint. Her life and service to her order are commemorated annually on October 20. She remains a significant figure in the history of the Savigny monastic tradition and the religious heritage of the Normandy region.