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medieval-religion: Scholarly discussions of medieval religion and culture Catherine of Sweden (also Catherine of Vadstena; d. 1381) was the daughter of Ulf Gudmarsson, lord of Ulvåsa and of his wife Birgitta Birgersdotter of Finsta (better known today as St. Bridget of Sweden). At the age of thirteen she was married to a young nobleman; their union was never consummated (later it was said that both had taken a vow of chastity). When after a few years he died Catherine was in Rome with her mother, whose work she supported and whose ascetic lifestyle she imitated. Catherine remained with Birgitta until the latter's death in 1373. In 1374 she brought Birgitta's body to the latter's foundation at Vadstena, where Birgitta was interred and Catherine became abbess. She spent the remainder of her life there and at Rome, working for her mother's canonization and directing the nascent Order of the Most Holy Savior (the Bridgettines). Her own cult was confirmed papally in 1484. Today is her _dies natalis_ and her day of commemoration in the Roman Martyrology. One of her attributes is a stag that is said to have protected her virginity by scaring off an intended attacker who had been lying in wait for her in a vineyard as she walked to Rome's basilica di San Sebastiano fuori le Mura. Some period-pertinent images of St. Catherine of Sweden: a) as portrayed in an oakwood statue in a later fifteenth-century altarpiece (ca. 1476-1500) from Blidsberg, a locality of Ulricehamns kommun (Västra Götalands län), now in Västergötlands museum, Skara: http://medeltidbild.historiska.se/medeltidbild/mbbilder/bilder/95/9528428.jpg b) as portrayed (at left; at right, St. Erasmus of Formiae) in a wooden statue in a later fifteenth-century altarpiece (ca. 1476-1500) in Önums kyrka, Önum, a locality of Vara kommun (Västra Götalands län): http://medeltidbild.historiska.se/medeltidbild/mbbilder/bilder/92/9206124.jpg c) as depicted (at far right; at left, St. Helen of Skövde; at center, St. Birgitta of Sweden) in a late fifteenth-century mural painting in Götene kyrka, Götene (Västra Götalands län): http://tinyurl.com/hsm68sx The painting _in situ_: http://tinyurl.com/z5mstsb d) as depicted (at right; at left, St. Birgitta of Sweden) in a painted panel of an altarpiece of ca. 1500 in Högsby kyrka, Högsby (Kalmar län): http://medeltidbild.historiska.se/medeltidbild/visa/foto.asp?imageId=9518015 http://medeltidbild.historiska.se/medeltidbild/mbbilder/bilder/95/9518015.jpg e) as depicted in a vault painting of ca. 1500 in Tolfta kyrka in Tolfta, a locality of Tierps kommun (Uppsala län): http://medeltidbild.historiska.se/medeltidbild/mbbilder/bilder/94/9435023.jpg f) as portrayed in a wooden statue of ca. 1500 in Nordingrå kyrka in Nordingrå, a locality of Kramfors kommun (Västernorrlands län): http://medeltidbild.historiska.se/medeltidbild/mbbilder/bilder/90/9020533.jpg Detail view: http://medeltidbild.historiska.se/medeltidbild/mbbilder/bilder/90/9020536.jpg g) as depicted (at left, flanking the BVM; at right, St. Birgitta of Sweden) in a painted panel of an earlier fifteenth-century altarpiece in St. Nykolai kyrka, Arboga (Västmanlands län): http://medeltidbild.historiska.se/medeltidbild/mbbilder/bilder/93/9332811.jpg Detail view (Catherine): http://medeltidbild.historiska.se/medeltidbild/mbbilder/bilder/93/9332821.jpg h) as portrayed (at left in the center compartment; at right, St. Lawrence of Rome) by Håkan Gulleson in an earlier fifteenth-century altarpiece statue in Trönö gamla kyrka in Trönö, a locality of Söderhamns kommun (Gävleborgs län): http://tinyurl.com/jftddlv Detail view (Catherine): http://birgitta.vadstena.se/images/katarina/katarina_trono.htm Best, John Dillon ********************************************************************** To join the list, send the message: subscribe medieval-religion YOUR NAME to: [log in to unmask] To send a message to the list, address it to: [log in to unmask] To leave the list, send the message: unsubscribe medieval-religion to: [log in to unmask] In order to report problems or to contact the list's owners, write to: [log in to unmask] For further information, visit our web site: http://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/medieval-religion