St. Hadeloga, Feb. 2 (Adaloja, Adeloja, Adelheid, Adelaide, Hadelaugis, Halloie, Hruadlauoa, Rothlauga, etc.), V. 8th century. Founder and abbess of Kitzingen (Cuccingum), in Franconia, in the diocese of Wurtzburg.
Bollandus inclines to the opinion that she was the daughter of Pepin, of Herstal, who was mayor of the palace, and virtually, though not actually, king of the Franks. In that case, she was great-niece to St. Gertrude, of Nivelle. Some historians make her daughter of Charles Martel; others of Pepin the Short, father of Charlemagne.
Hadeloga was born and brought up at Schwanberg, the residence of her father, in Franconia. As she was very beautiful, and renowned for her piety, amiability, and wisdom, she had many suitors—kings, sons of kings, and nobles from England, Hungary, Greece, and other countries; but she found some excuse for refusing every one of them, preferring a celibate religious life. Her father was very angry, and she became more popular at his court from the meekness and cheerfulness with which she bore his unkindness. Then the devil put it into the king's heart to put an evil construction on the favour with which Hadeloga treated his chaplain, and he sent one of his guards to tell the priest that if he did not take her away, he would turn them both ignominiously out-of-doors next day. So they went away, and coming to a wood, the priest made a clearing, and there they built a monastery, where they were joined by a few religious persons, and led a holy life under the rule of St. Benedict and St. Scholastica. The king, hearing the flame of his daughter's sanctity, repented of his harshness, and gave extensive estates to the institution over which she presided. The chaplain, in the mean time, went to Jerusalem, and died there; and some time afterwards he appeared in a dream to the king, warning him of his approaching death, and exhorting him, as he wished to save his soul, to repent of his injurious suspicions against St. Hadeloga and himself. The king accordingly visited his daughter, and begged her forgiveness and her prayers, endowing the convent richly. From that time it increased greatly in power and in fame of sanctity. St. Hadeloga built a stone bridge over the river Main at Kitzingen, which is still pointed out, although superseded for use by a modern one. St. Hadeloga's bridge is said to have been thirty-two years in building.
Tritheim supposes her to be the Abbess Thecla (19), whom Boniface brought from England. AA.SS. Chastelain.