medieval-religion: Scholarly discussions of medieval religion and culture
One possible interpretation of the phrase is this -
I believe there are some cultures where it is considered that it pollutes
her father's house if a girl-child menstruates. In such cultures a
girl-child is closely observed by the "wise women" (including her mother)
and her arranged marriage is celebrated and consummated when she is deemed
to be on the brink of menstruating. [That this would be considered child
abuse in the modern Western world, goes without saying.] In these
circumstances, the young bride may conceive on her first ovulation and
become pregnant without ever experiencing menstruation. If such a bride
subsequently becomes pregnant again while still lactating, it is possible
for her to have several pregnancies - indeed to go for the whole of her
married life - without ever experiencing menstruation. I seem to remember
reading that there were some medically recorded cases among women from
immigrant families in Britain in the 1960s.
Since menstruation has been traditionally regarded as a sign of "the Curse
of Eve" (and "The Curse" is - or was in my adolescence - a well-known slang
euphemism for menstruation) ie a punishment brought upon all women who are
deemed to partake of Original Sin, then a woman such as the ones described
above who managed to give birth to a sequence of children without
menstruating might be regarded has having in some way escaped the "Curse of
Eve".
I agree that this is NOT "The Immaculate Conception" as Christians
understand it (whether as catholics they believe in it or as protestants
they reject it) although I understand that there is a catholic belief that
as a result of being "The Immacuate Conception" Mary of Nazareth neither
experience menstruation nor suffered pain in childbirth.
(I personally find such speculation prurient and insulting.)
Perhaps all your text is saying is that Fatima was a bride of the sort
described above.
Brenda M. Cook
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