Sunday 17 September 2017

# Saints

Saint Hildegard of Bingen

Illumination from the Liber Scivias showing Hildegard receiving a vision and dictating to her scribe and secretary

The 17th of September is the feast day of Saint Hildegard of Bingen.

Saint Hildegard of Bingen lived between 1098-1179 and belonged to a large noble German family. At the age of 3 she began having mystical visions which continued throughout her life. At the age of 8 years old, she was sent to be educated at the Benedictine Abbey by an anchoress as her parents promised to give her to the service of God. When she was 14 years old, she became a consecrated nun, and became the new leader of the group of nuns at the age of 38 after the anchoress' death. She wrote many books on theology, natural medicine, natural science, poems, plays and composed sacred music and liturgy. When she was 42 she began writing down her visions.  Her works were read even by the Pope and she became famous as a mystic and prophetess, gaining the name of "Sibyl of the Rhine." As her group of nuns became larger, Saint Hildegard created a new monastery at Rupertsberg. She  was declared to be a Doctor of the Church in 2012 by Pope Benedict XVI, due to her writings on how man needed to live in balance with nature with the love of God. She is regarded as the founder of scientific natural history in Germany.

Sample of her composed music

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