Ada

Saint Ada was a nun and abbess in France at the end of the sixth century or in the seventh. She was the niece, or according to some sources the granddaughter, of Saint Englebert (Aiglibert), bishop of Le Mans. She is commemorated on 4 December.

She was a nun at Soissons. Englebert raised her there to the rank of abbess, then moved her to the monastery of Pré (Saint Julian of Prato) in Le Mans and installed her as abbess there as well. Her name appears in forms such as Adeneta, Adna, Adnetta, Adonette, Adrechild and Adrehildis.

The sources say that she and her family were very devout. In France she is regarded as the patron of women in the religious life and of nuns.

The dates of her birth and death are not known, and not many reports of her deeds have been preserved. She lived before the separation of the Churches, and so she is venerated as a saint of the undivided Church.