The life of Blessed Ilona is closely linked to that of the child princess, St Margaret. Ilona was a nun at the Dominican convent in Veszprém, the same convent where Margaret grew up, after her father King Béla IV, kept his promise to God and dedicated his daughter to the Lord, as he believed that it was divine intervention that drove the invading Mongol armies out of Hungary. Legends have it that Ilona was so spiritually exalted at the age of 21 that she was entrusted with the upbringing of the 3-year-old Margaret and her virtue and love revealed the beauty of spirituality to Margaret, guiding her along the path of sainthood.
However, after the young princess moved away, Ilona remained in Veszprém, within the walls of the convent, until her death in 1270. According to tradition, Ilona would sometimes rise into the air when she prayed, and she also received a vision from Jesus Christ in which he personally offered her the Eucharist. She is also credited with many other miracles, such as withered flowers coming back to life in her hands and healing sick people with a mere touch. It is said that during her final hours, Jesus Christ himself came down to personally guide her to Heaven.
