Born in 626, Gertrude was the abbess of the monastery at Nivelles.
As ill health took its toll Gertrude asked for Saint Ultan to be consulted to see if he had received any prophecy from God about her death. He had, and Gertrude learnt that she would die the following day during Mass. Following her death she was immediately canonised.
Today she is considered a patron saint of travellers and can be invoked against, fevers, rats and mice.
She also seems to be able to repel sea monsters.
One legend tells how some of her subjects needed to travel far from the monastery. She assured them that they would come to no harm. While at sea they encountered a terrifying sea monster which threatened to capsize their ship but when Gertrude’s power was invoked the monster left the travellers in peace.
Well known for her hospitality to visitors in life she is sometimes said to help souls in the afterlife.
March 17th is also the Feast Day of Joseph of Arimathea, the man said to have been charged with looking after the Holy Grail.
