I was interested in an entry in George's 29th March daily festal calendar,
viz.:
* Diemoda or Diemut, virgin (c. 1130)
- friend of the celebrated recluse, Herluka of Epfach, she
in turn lived as a solitary, in a cell adjoining an abbey
church; she passed her time as a scribe
QUERY: How many solitary sisters, anchoresses, were there after c.1000 and
before the 14thc.?
Cf. A SELECT LIST OF HERMITS, HOLY MEN & WANDERPREDIGER, c.1050-1130
Bernard of Tiron
Bruno of Cologne
Geoffrey Babion
Geraud of Salles
Henry of Lausanne
John Gualbert
Norbert of Xanten
Peter the Hermit
Peter Damian
Peter Igneus
Raoul de la Fustaye
Robert of Arbrissel
Robert of Molesme
Romuald
Stephen of Muret
Stephen of Obazine
Vitalis of Savigny
William Firmat
This list is by no means complete; but it contains many of the more famous
names. It would be nice to draw up a similar list for women. Naturally,
there would be very few, if any, 'wandering preachers' amongst them.
But I'd like to see if any female solitaries went on to found monastic
houses during this same period the way that male hermits often did.
Gary Dickson
University of Edinburgh
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