At the age of 12, she married Henry, Prince of Silesia, and together they had seven children. Despite her noble status, Hedwig led a deeply devout life, practicing penance and fasting even within the court. She was known for walking barefoot over ice and snow to attend daily Mass. When a priest gifted her shoes and later asked why she still walked barefoot, she revealed she carried them under her arms, saying, “I always wear them there.”

St. Hedwig was a tireless advocate for the poor, widows, and orphans. She founded several hospitals for the sick and lepers and ensured no one left her presence without comfort. On one occasion, she spent ten weeks teaching a poor woman the Lord’s Prayer.

After the death of her beloved husband, Hedwig responded with unwavering faith: “Would you oppose the will of God? Our lives are His.” She later entered the Monastery of Trebnitz, where she died in 1243.