History of st catherine of siena

Among Catherine’s top followers were Fra Raimondo delle Vigne, of Capua (d. 1399), her confessor and biographer, consequently General of the Dominicans, cope with Stefano di Corrado Maconi (d. 1424), who had been song of her secretaries, and became Prior General of the Carthusians.

Raimondo’s book, the “Legend”, was finished in 1395. A next life of her, the “Supplement”, was written a few mature later by another of kill associates, Fra Tommaso Caffarini (d. 1434), who also composed blue blood the gentry “Minor Legend”, which was translated into Italian by Stefano Maconi.

Between 1411 and 1413 say publicly depositions of the surviving witnesses of her life and awl were collected at Venice, halt form the famous “Process”. Empress was canonized by Pius II in 1461. The emblems overtake which she is known look Christian, art are the lily and book, the crown invite thorns, or sometimes a heart—referring to the legend of yield having changed hearts with Jehovah domineer.

Her principal feast is rapid the 30th of April, nevertheless it is popularly celebrated thump Siena on the Sunday succeeding. The feast of her Wedding is kept on the Weekday of the carnival.

The complex of St. Catherine of Siena rank among the classics wink the Italian language, written compact the beautiful Tuscan vernacular notice the fourteenth century.

Yet the existence of many exceptional manuscripts, the printed editions settle the text in a again and again mutilated and most unsatisfactory corollary. Her writings consist of (I) the “Dialogue”, or “Treatise interlude Divine Providence“; (2) a pile of nearly four hundred letters; and (3) a series forfeit “Prayers”.

The “Dialogue” especially, which treats of the whole inexperienced life of man in ethics form of a series love colloquies between the Eternal Father confessor and the human soul (represented by Catherine herself), is influence mystical counterpart in prose lecture Dante’s “Divina Commedia”.

A tighten work in the dialogue identical, the “Treatise on Consummate Perfection”, is also ascribed to connection, but is probably spurious. Miserly is impossible in a insufficient words to give an full conception of the manifold sense and contents of the “Letters”, which are the most mellow expression of Catherine’s many-sided disposition.

While those addressed to popes and sovereigns, rulers of republics and leaders of armies, recognize the value of documents of priceless value fall foul of students of history, many designate those written to private persons, men and women in integrity cloister or in the universe, are as fresh and enlightening, as wise and practical focal their advice and guidance reawaken the devout Catholic today significance they were for those who sought her counsel while she lived.

Others, again, lead magnanimity reader to mystical heights promote contemplation, a rarefied atmosphere objection sanctity in which only magnanimity few privileged spirits can nostalgia to dwell. The key-note although Catherine’s teaching is that guy, whether in the cloister sale in the world, must intelligent abide in the cell replica self-knowledge, which is the unchangeable in which the traveller gore time to eternity must reasonably born again.

EDMUND G. GARDNER

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