medieval-religion: Scholarly discussions of medieval religion and culture
I've just re-read the _Legenda s. Clarae virginis_, the opening portions of the _Legenda versificata s. Clarae Assisiensis_, and the bull of canonization for Clare (texts in ALIM, reachable e.g. from the 13th-century page: http://www.uan.it/alim/elesecolXIII.html). All the three of these closely contemporary documents engage in a good deal of wordplay on common meanings of the Latin adjective 'clarus, -a, -um' ('luminous', 'shining brilliantly', 'illustrious', etc.) and on the name 'Clara' (Italian 'Chiara'). In the two Legends Clare is so named at birth because of a prophecy that she will bring great light unto the world, but in neither account is this light associated specifically with a star.
In the verse Legend, though, both Francis and Clare are said by the poet to have been sent to earth as heralds whose new light, like [that of] shining stars, would illuminate the world with new splendor (lines 112-20). This is the only star imagery I have found in any of these three texts, where Clare is usually compared instead to a lamp or candelabrum.
Which is not to say that Chris' memory is inaccurate: the comparison of Clare to a star seems to be common in vernacular texts dealing with the saint and it is quite possible that one of these (of whatever date) may have introduced such a comparison in its account of Clare's naming.
Best,
John Dillon
On Fri, 22 Aug 2003 18:46:11 -0700
Chris Laning <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
>medieval-religion: Scholarly discussions of medieval religion and culture
>
>I have a vague recollection (and not really anyplace to check it out,
>sorry) that the mother of St. Clare of Assisi dreamed while pregnant
>with Clare (b. 1194 I think) that her daughter would be a "shining
>star" -- and that she was therefore named "Clare" (i.e. Chiara) which
>(IIRC) apparently doesn't simply mean "clear" like a window but has
>something to do with light or stars. Can anyone supplement my hazy
>and flawed recollection on this?
>
>I do remember that along with this story went a belief that the name
>"Chiara" was newly invented for this infant because of her mother's
>dream ... however in fact, there do seem to be a few earlier
>instances of the name both in masculine and feminine form. After St.
>Clare was canonized, however, the name (at least in feminine form)
>became much better known and more common.
>--
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