medieval-religion: Scholarly discussions of medieval religion and culture
Interesting question, Cate. There's a similar omen in the Life of Conus
of Diano (BHL 1943; perh. early 15th cent.): while his mother is
pregnant with C., both parents dream that she gives birth to an
especially luminous torch. The Life considers this miraculous in that
both parents have the same dream (a not uncommon hagiographical device,
BTW; is there a scholarly treatment of it?). But there's no indication
that this miracle is operated by the unborn Conus. The original query
had to do with miracles said to be performed by saints in the womb. And
since neither Dominic's mother nor Conus' actually gives birth to a
torch (with or without puppy), the content of the dream is symbolic but
not real-world miraculous.
Divinely inspired dreams are of course a cultural inheritance from
pre-Christian antiquity.
Best,
John Dillon
----- Original Message -----
From: Cateandtim <[log in to unmask]>
Date: Wednesday, October 6, 2004 3:54 am
<snip>
> Hello
> does the dream Dominic's mother had when she was pregnant count as
> a pre-natal miracle? According to the Life by Jean de Mailly she
> saw 'a puppy emerge from her womb carrying a blazing torch in its
> mouth'. (I'm quoting from the Classics of Western Spirituality
> volume on the Early Dominicans) - I'm sure there's someone on the
> list who knows much more about this than I!
>
> Cate
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