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medieval-religion: Scholarly discussions of medieval religion and culture

I think the recently (1998) deceased Gallic-American author Julien Green holds the title for the longest autobiography/diary/journal in western lit. He was born in 1900 and lived almost 100 years. He began his diary in the early 20s, I think, and didn't stop till he died. The autobiography was written later. But the diary/autobio combo takes up at least 5 volumes in the Pleiade edition of his complete works, each volume comprising in excess of 1000 pages. It would be interesting to do a toe-to-toe comparison of the two but I have no idea how to count Veronica's words or pages in an edition comparable to Julien's.
MG

-- Thomas Renna <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
medieval-religion: Scholarly discussions of medieval religion and culture

What makes Veronica Giuliani so important for historians is her autobiography, written 1693-1727. The 61 volume (sic!) photocopy of the manuscript is available at the Monastero delle Cappuccine (actually next door) in Città di Castello. The modern edition (1969-87) is 5 volumes, published by the monastery. This may the longest autobiography-diary in western literature.
Thomas Renna
Saginaw Valley State University

>>> [log in to unmask] 7/8/2004 7:22:59 PM >>>
medieval-religion: Scholarly discussions of medieval religion and culture

Today (9. July) is the feast day of:

Everild (d. c. 700) Everild was a West Saxon noblewoman who became a
nun at York. St. Wilfrid gave her some land where she established
what became a large community of nuns, later named Everildsham (now
called Everingham).

Theodore of Edessa (d. 848) At the age of twelve, the orphan
Theodore (a native of Edessa) gave his inheritance away and joined
the monastery of St. Sabas at Jerusalem. Eventually he became bishop
of Edessa---a very good bishop, active in pastoral care and vigorous
in his denunciation of heretics. A legend tells that he went to
Baghdad to intercede with the caliph to obtain better treatment for
Christians. The caliph was ill; Theodore healed him, using earth
from the Holy Sepulcher. The greatful caliph converted to
Christianity (but was soon killed by his less open-minded subjects).

Modern saints:
Martyrs of Gorkum (d. 1572) 1572 wasn't really a good year for
Catholics to be working in the Netherlands, as the Dutch roused to a
second rebellion against Philip II. Reformed forces seized the town
of Gorkum in Holland in June: they rounded up nineteen Catholic
priests and religious and tortured them to encourage them to
foreswear their teachings about the eucharist and papal primacy.
They refused and were hanged. The group was canonized as a job lot
in 1867.

Veronica Giuliani (d. 1727) Veronica (christened Ursula) joined the
Capuchin order in 1677. She was a mystic and received the stigmata
in 1697. She is regarded as one of the most amazing mystics of the
eighteenth century, including such spiritual gifts as levitation. VG
was also very active in her community, serving as novice mistress for
many years and then as abbses. She was canonized in 1839.

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