Scholar in Residence, Professor Laura Saetveit Miles of the University of Bergen, researches the fourteenth-century visionary Birgitta of Sweden (1303-1373), and her wide-raging influence. Birgitta is most well-known for three things: her enormous book of over 700 visions, the Revelationes; her massive campaign to return the papacy from Avignon to Rome; and her creation of a new double monastic order that spread throughout Europe and still exists today. After a life as an aristocratic wife and mother of eight, Birgitta was commanded by Christ in a vision to move to Rome. Here she spent over two decades living an ascetic, holy life and developing powerful political and curial networks in order to achieve her goals. Her magisterial Revelationes was translated into many European vernaculars, and along with her monastic order, helped to spread her cult. She was proclaimed a saint by Pope Boniface IX in 1391 and a patron saint of Europe by Pope John Paul II in 1999.
But far away in medieval England, she became especially popular – in fact, the most popular female author from the period 1380-1550. Even though she never set foot in the country, the saint’s book of revelations was very well known there and translated into Middle English twice. Why was Birgitta so popular with English people? This presentation explains the reasons behind England’s obsession with this Swedish holy woman. We will meet two of Birgitta’s biggest English fans in the medieval period: first, Cardinal Adam Easton, who helped secure Birgitta’s canonization, writing a long defense of her sanctity and her new monastic order, and even crediting her with his survival after torture and imprisonment by Pope Urban VI. Second, laywoman Margery Kempe, who modeled her own visionary vocation on Birgitta’s and even visited the saint’s former house in Rome and talked to Birgitta’s maid. Through these two very different figures we will learn what made this Swedish woman such a compelling saint.
The Director's Seminar Series at The Norwegian Institute in Rome is open for everyone interested. Kindly register your participation to events@roma.uio.no.
Participants are invited for an aperitivo immediately after the seminar.