Short Biography: Hildegard Of Bingen

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Diana Saucedo
Erin Morris
HIST2321 XC World Civilization I
September 14, 2016
Hildegard of Bingen
A Remarkable Women Hildegard of Bingen was a writer, composer, philosopher and a visionary. She was called by many “one of the most important figures in the history of the Middle East and perhaps the greatest women of her time” (justun.angelican.org)\ Biography Born in a noble family, she was the tenth child. Her parents were Hildebert von Bermersheim and Mechtil of Merxheim-Nahet. As a child she had many visions, some people believe her visions started when she was 3 years old and she became to understand them when she was about 5. At the age of eight she was sent to a monastery where she was educated by a women name
Jutta, she was a visionary herself. Jutta taught Hildegar how to read and write. (catholic.org). She became a nun when she was fourteen years old. At the age of eighteen se was ordered by her confessor to start writing down her visions, it took her ten years to write them. (franciscanmedia.org). When Jutta died in 1136, Hildegard was elected magistra at the convent. Around the same time, she was ask by Abbot Kuno of Disibodenberg to become prioress of the convent, she made the move in 1150. Before this event in 1141 Hildegard was trying to get her own monastery, it was then when she receive a vision from God and he instructed her to “write
2 / 4 down that wich you see and hear” (colsoncenter.org) Abbot denied the move. Soon after that she became very sick and she attribute this event to the fact that she didn’t obey God’s wishes, it was until then that Abbot allow her to move. Her Work Hildegard works included visionary theology, musical composition as well as musical morality, and a large amount of letter that were addressed to a diversity of people; from Popes to Emperatos, records of many of the sermons that she preached and material on natural medicine .She also invented the language called the “Lingua ignota” many of her documents were produce as she was alive, this include her first work Scivias (catholic.org).
Her most important work where the three visionary theologies Scivias, which it translate to Know the ways composed between 1142-1151, Liber Vitae Meritorum which means: Book of Life’s Merits composed between 1158-1163; and the last one Liber Divinorum Operum: Book of Divine Works composed between 1163/4-1172, it is in this books that she descrives her visions. As a visionary she was able to be heard in places that pay no attention to a small convent. In a time where only men were allow to preach, Hildegard was invited to preach in four different opportunities. While she was doing this, she was still in charge of her monastery. As a composer she produce around 69 songs; music and words, and the lyrics of four more. Hildegard also write about medicine and as she gain skill in diagnosis and treatment, she combine this ones with spiritual healing. Most likely she obtain the information in the time that she spend reading in the monastery’ library. She explain her theory and practice in two books: the Physica, which describes the medicinal properties of plants, stones, fish and other animals. The second Causae et Curae, in this one she explores the human body.
This
3 / 4 books are significant because they explain the medieval medicine, mainly because the practitioners at the time rarely wrote in Latin. Conclusion Hildegard of Bingen was in fact a remarkable women that defect physical challenges at the same time that she achieve great things in the Middle Ages. “Because of the opportunities that God provided for her” she was able to make a significant impact in theology, medicine, music as well as church reforms.
After four intents of canonization, Hildegard of Bingen was canonized by Pope Benedict XVL in 2012.