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 HILDEQARD

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HILDEGARD

was fully convinced of the Divine character of the revelations. But, continually urged, rebuked, and threatened by the inner voice, she manifested all to her spiritual director, and through him to the abbot under whose jurisdiction her community was placed. Then a monk was ordered to put in writing whatever she related ; some of her nuns also frequently assisted her. The writings were submitted to the bishop (Henry, 1142-53) and clergy of Mainz, who pro- nounced them as coming from God. The matter was also brought to the notice of Eugene II (1145-.5.3) who was at Trier in 1147. Albero of Chiny, Bishop of Verdun, was commissioned to investigate and made a favourable report. Hildegard continued her writings. Crowds of people flocked to her from the neighbour- hood and from all parts of Germany and Gaul, to hear words of wisdom from her lips, and to receive advice and help in corporal and spiritual ailments. These were not only from the conmion people, but men and women of note in Church and State were drawn by the report of her wisdom and sanctity. Thus we read that Archbishop Heinrich of Mainz, Archbishop Eber- hard of Salzburg, and Abbot Ludwig of St. Eucharius at Trier, paid her visits. St. Elizabeth of Schonau was an intimate friend and frequent visitor. Tri- themius in his "Chronicle" speaks of a visit of St. Bernard of Clairvaux, but this probably was not cor- rect. Not only at home did she give counsel, but also abroad. Many persons of all stations of life wrote to her and received answers, so that her correspondence is quite extensive. Her great love for the Church and its interests caused her to make many journeys; she visited at intervals the houses of Disenberg and Eibingen ; on invitation she came to Ingelheim to see Emperor Frederick; she travelled to Wurzburg, Bam- berg, and the vicinity of Ulm, Cologne, Werden, Trier, and Metz. It is not true, however, that she saw Paris or the grave of St. Martin at Tours.

In the last year of her life Hildegard had to imdergo a very severe trial. In the cemetery adjoining her convent a young man was buried who had once been under excommunication. The ecclesiastical authori- ties of Mainz demanded that she have the body re- moved. She did not consider herself bound to obey, since the young man had received the last sacraments and was therefore supposed to have been reconciled to the Church. Sentence of interdict was placed on her convent by the chapter of Mainz, and the sentence was confirmed by the bishop. Christian (V) Buch, then in Italy. After much worry and correspondence she succeeded in having the interdict removed. She died a holy death and was buried in the church of Ruperts- berg. Hildegard was greatly venerated in life and after death. Her biographer, Theodoric, calls her saint, and many miracles are said to have been wrought through her intercession. Gregory IX (1227-41) and Innocent IV (124.3-54) ordered a pro- cess of information which was repeated by Clement V (1305-14) and John XXII (131C-34). No formal canonization has ever taken place, but her name is in the Roman Martyrology and her feast is celelirated in the Dioceses of Speyer, Mainz, Trier, and Limburg, also in the Abbey of Solesines, where a proper office is said (Brev. Monast. Tornac, 18 Sept.). When the convent on the Rupertsberg was destroyed in 1632 the relics of the saint were brought to Cologne and then to Eibingen. At the secularization of this con- vent they were placed in the parish church of the place. In 18.57 an official recognition was made by the Bishop of Limburg and the relics were placed on an altar specially built. At this occasion the town of Eibingen chose her as patron. On 2 July, 1900, the cornerstone was here laid for a new convent of St. Hildegard. The work was begun and completed through the munificence of Prince Karl of Lowenstein and Benedictine nuns from St. Gabriel's at Prague entered the new home (17 Sept., 1904).

All the manuscripts found in the convent at Ei- bingen were in 1814 transferred to the state library at Wiesbaden. Of this collection the first and greatest work of St. Hildegard is called "Scivias" (Scire or vias Domini, or vias lucis), parts of which had been shown to the Archbishop of Mainz. She began it in 1141 and worked at it for ten years. It is an extraor- dinary production and hard to understand, prophetic throughout and admonitory after the manner of Eze- chiel and the .Apocalypse. In the introduction she speaks of herself and describes the nature of her visions. Then follow three books, the first containing six visions, the second giving seven visions, and about double the size of the finst; the third, equal in size to both the others, has thirteen visions. The "Scivias" represents God on His Holy Mountain with mankind at its base; tells of the original condition of man, his fall and redemption, the hmnan soul and its struggles, the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, the times to come, the son of perdition and the end of the world. The visions are interspersed with salutary admonitions to live in the fear of the Lord. Manuscripts of the "Scivias" are also at Cues and Oxford. It was printed for the first time at Paris (1513) in a book which contains also the writings of .several other persons. It was again printed at Cologne in 162S, and reproduced in Migne, P. L., CXCVII. The "Liber vita; meritorum", written between 1158 and 1163, is a picturesque de- scription of a Christian's life of virtue and its opposite. It was printed for the first time in Pitra, " Analecta Sacra", VIII (Monte Cassino, 1882). The "Liber divinorum operum" (1163-70) is a contemplation of all nature in the light of faith. Sim, moon, and stars, the planets, the winds, animals, and man, are in her visions expressive of something supernatural and spiritual, and as they come from God should lead back to Him (Migne, loc. cit.). Mansi, in " Baluzii Mis- cell." (Lucca, 1761), II, 337, gives it from a manu- script lost since then. Her " Letter to the Prelates of Mainz" in regard to the interdict placed upon her convent is placed here among her works by the Wies- baden manuscript ; in others it is bound among her letters. To it the Wiesljaden manuscript annexes nine small essays: on the Creation and fall of man; God's treatment of the renegade; on the priesthood and the Holy Eucharist; on the covenant between Christ and the Church ; on the Creation and Redemp- tion; on the duties of .secular judges; on the praises of God with intermingled prayers. " Liber Episto- larum et Orationum"; the \Viesbaden manuscript contains letters to and from Eugene III, .Xnastasius IV, .\drian IV, and Alexander III, King Conrad III, Emperor Frederick, St. Bernard, ten archbishops, nine bishops, forty-nine abbots and provosts of mon- asteries or chapters, twenty-three abbesses, many priests, teachers, monks, nuns, and religious commu- nities (P. L., loc. cit.). Pitra has many additions. L. Clarus edited them in a German translation (Rati.s- bon, 1854). "Vita S. Disibodi" and "Vita S. Ru- perti"; these "Vita?", which Hildegard claims also to be revelations, were probably made up from local traditions and, especially for St. Rupert, the sources being very meagre, have only legendary value. " Ex- positio Evangeliorum", fifty homilies in allegory (Pitra, loc. cit.). "Lingua Ignota"; the manu- script, in eleven folios, gives a list of nine hvmdred words of an unknown language, niostl}' noims and only a few adjectives, a Latin, and in a few ca.ses a German, explanation, together with an unknown alphabet of twenty-three letters, printed in Pitra. A collection of seventj' hymns and their melodies. A manuscript of this is also at .\fflighem, printed in Roth (Wiesbaden, 1880) and in Pitra. Not only in this work, but elsewhere Hildegard exhibits high poetical gifts, transfigured by her intimate persuasion of a Di- vine mission. " Liber Simplicis Medicin;i' " and " Liber Compositce Medicina;"; the first was edited in 1533 by