Catherine of Siena

Saint Catherine of Siena ( * March 25, 1347 in Siena, † April 29, 1380 in Rome) was an Italian mystic, consecrated virgin and doctor of the Church.

As a consultant, two popes she dared to point out some ecclesiastical abuses. In Avignon, she succeeded in 1376, Pope Gregory XI. to persuade them to return to Rome. As in 1378 under Urban VI. a schism threatened, she worked for a peaceful solution. Catherine was canonized in 1461, 1939 declared the patron saint of Italy, raised in 1970 and declared Doctor of the Church as the patron saint of Europe in 1999.

Life

Catherine of Siena was born on March 25, 1347 as Caterina Benincasa to the world. My birthplace is now a museum and known as the Santuario di Santa Caterina. She was the second youngest of 25 children of Jacobo Benincasa and Lapa di Puccio di Piagente that belonged to the nobility. Since the family was impoverished, her father had to earn a wool dyer 's livelihood. Most of her siblings died young of the plague. Catherine grew up without education; Reading and writing, she learned much later.

Even as a six year old child she had her first vision: She looked over the roof of the Dominican church " a beautiful, decorated with royal splendor of the bridal chamber. In it, she beheld the Redeemer of the world, the Lord Jesus Christ on a ruler 's throne, clothed in episcopal robes and tiara, royal and papal crown, on the main "and the Apostles Peter, Paul, and John the Evangelist. After this vision, Katharina withdrew more and more and seeks solitude. They castigated himself, prayed, instead of playing and eating less and less.

According to Raymond of Capua vowed Katharina already with seven years of the Mother of God eternal virginity. When they had reached the marriageable age of twelve, she therefore refused at first to place more value on their appearance and the hair to color blonde, then let himself but persuaded by her older sister Bonaventura. Soon after her sister died Bonaventura, and Catherine's parents requested a related Dominicans, Tommaso della Fonte, to persuade the girl to leave to get married. However, this conversation did not go according to the will of the parents and Tommaso advised her (or showed her the way to ), to shave his hair, which was seen as an act of consecration to God. In incensed that her mother tried to break Catherine's will, forbade her own room and decreed that they are consistently busy with work and should take over the work of the kitchen maid to leave her no time for silence and prayer. However, she managed to create an inner retreat, an "inner cell", which is a recurring theme in her letters in a renewed vision saw Catherine St. Dominic in a circle of other saints. This showed her the religious habit of the Sisters of Penance of St. Dominic and promised to be members of this Order. She told then her family of her decision and was going to be supported by her father and in whose intercession, even from the rest of the family in it. Catherine received her own room again, and devoted himself to prayer and hard penance. They are increasingly fasted longer, gave up meat, wine and cooked vegetables, no longer slept in a bed, but on boards, prayed at night and slapped on the model of Dominic with an iron chain. Now also urged more frequently her mother, herself ( because of their black coat also " Mantellatinnen ") of that of the Sisters of Penance of St. Dominic to advocate to include them in the Order. But even with these, they encountered difficulties. At the time of Catherine the Mantellatinnen took only widows who then lived in their own homes. Only after repeated requests Catherine was finally taken in 1363 at the age of 16 years by the Sisters. She spent several years in great seclusion in her room, where she learned the discernment of spirits, which she described in the Dialogus later: " If they [ the vision of ] the devil, [ ... ] so the soul feels immediately at his appearance joy, but the longer he stays, the more it shrinks the joy and stay weariness, darkness and turmoil that darken their minds. , if they but by Me [God ] [... ] is haunted, then the soul from the first moment is with fulfilled holy fear, and at the same time with this fear she receives pleasure and safety [ ... ] "

By renewed vision of the mystic marriage, the life of Catherine changed again radically. In this vision, their Christ, who slipped her a ring on his finger and said to her appeared:

" Behold, I espouse you to me, your Creator and Redeemer, in faith. You will always hold this belief intact until you celebrate in heaven with me eternal wedding. Accomplish My daughter, from now on, with confidence and without any hesitation, what is my preventive impose accompanying you. The strength of faith you are now consolidated, and so will you overcome all your opponents happy. "

Under the influence of this vision, Catherine left her cell and went to the public. She put her life in the service of others. Physical acts of penance were now in the background. She helped in the household of her parents' house and supported, with her ​​father, poor and sick of help. They frequently visited the prison to console convicts and to accompany them to the place. Your charisma and her work resulted in around them formed a group for whom Catherine was a spiritual mother. This group included the Mantellatinnen sisters, acquaintances, friends, and employees of the Sienese Dominican hospitals.

Catherine commented except to ecclesiastical questions in political and social issues - for a woman in this time extremely unusual and sensational. This may be the reason why Catherine was appointed in 1374 before the General Chapter of the Dominican Order. Documents related to this survey no longer exist, but the research is believed that it was about the accusation of heresy in this study. It must have been declared orthodox, and acquitted of the possible accusation of heresy, but by this time the influential Dominican Raymond of Capua was assigned as her confessor. He was to accompany her life as a consultant and interpreter, after her death, he wrote Catherine's Legenda maior biography.

From their faith understanding, they also developed a political efficacy. They gave public speeches and brought it - if she thought it was just because of their ties with the Church necessary - even sharp criticism of the ecclesiastical and political leaders to. Soon their reputation spread throughout Europe and people from all the countries they asked for advice - including even the Pope, which they in turn did not spare, but it also rebuked prophetic. Rebellion against papal authority, however, was unfamiliar to her. So they put it:

" And even if the Pope would be an incarnate devil, instead of a benevolent Father, so we still have to obey him, not because of his personality, but because of God. For Christ wants us to obey his deputy. "

Took place on April 1, 1375 before a cross in Pisa their stigmatization: Miraculously, the wounds of Jesus are to be published on their bodies, which were, however, only be recognized for Catherine herself. 1376 Catherine went to Avignon. She convinced Pope Gregory XI. Return to Rome. A year later began the great schism, with Catherine Pope Urban VI. supported. At his request, she moved to Rome. From there, they fought for the unity of the Church and for a peaceful solution in the crisis-ridden Italy.

Seriously ill Catherine died at the age of 33 years on April 29, 1380 near the church of Santa Maria sopra Minerva in Rome, where she was buried in the local cemetery. After it was reported that miracles have occurred at her grave, let her confessor, Raymond of Capua, bring her remains to the basilica where they were buried in a shrine beneath the high altar. My head was encased in a Kopfreliquar of bronze and later her hometown of Siena sent, where it was transferred in a procession in the Dominican Church. The Basilica of San Domenico in Siena is also in possession of a relic of St. thumb. Catherine. When her remains were exhumed in 1430 for the first time, her body was intact, at the last exhumation in 1855 they were still remarkably well preserved.

1461 Catherine of Siena was canonized in 1939 and declared the patron saint of Italy. Pope Paul VI. raised them in 1970 Doctor of the Church ( "Doctor universalis Ecclesiae "); In 1999 she became John Paul II together with St.. Bridget of Sweden and St.. ( Better known under her real name Edith Stein ) collected Teresia Benedicta of the Cross Patron Saint of Europe.

Remembrance

• Catholic ( bid Memorial in general Roman calendar ): April 29. With the elevation Co-Patroness of Europe 1999, the day of remembrance Catherine of Siena in the liturgical calendar of the Roman Catholic Church in Europe was the feast.
• Anglican: April 29
• Evangelical ( Protestant Remembrance Day in the calendar name of the Evangelical Church in Germany and in the calendar of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America ): April 29

The hl. Catherine is revered as the patron saint of Europe, Italy and the city of Rome. It is called on to defend from fire, plague and headaches, and is also considered a patron saint of nurses, the dying, the parish secretaries and the washerwomen. It is most often depicted with the attributes lily book, crucifix, thorn crown, heart, stigmata, ring, dove, rose, skull or a ship model with the papal coat of arms.

Works

From her letters which she dictated, as she was writing hardly powerful, have survived over 380. These represent not only an important witness of their time, but have also established its reputation as a Doctor of the Church because of their theological density. In German they are only partially available, such as:

• Ferdinand Strobel (eds.): Catherine of Siena. Political letters; Man of the church in witness and document, 5; Einsiedeln 1944.
• The Political letters published 25 years later shortened and slightly altered in paperback under the title Engaged by faith; Classics of meditation; Benziger. Zurich and Cologne, 1979.
• Similarly, the book was published again under the title I want to interfere in the world. Committed letters of faith of Catherine of Siena, ed. by Manfred Baumotte; Benziger. Zurich and Cologne, 1997, ISBN 3-545-20302-6.
• (. All letters, edited by Werner Schmid) As part of ongoing complete edition have been published: Catherine of Siena, to the men of the church I; Kleinhain 2005; ISBN 3-901853-07-3.
• Catherine of Siena, to the men of the Church II; Kleinhain 2005; ISBN 3-901853-08-1.
• Catherine of Siena, to the nuns; Kleinhain 2007; ISBN 978-3-901853-15-9.
• Catherine of Siena, to the men of the policy; Kleinhain 2009; ISBN 978-3-901853-16-6.
• Catherine of Siena, to the women in the world; Kleinhain 2013; ISBN 978-3-901853-26-5.