Mechthild of Magdeburg

Mechthild of Magdeburg (c. 1207 Archbishopric of Magdeburg, † 1282 in Helfta monastery) was a Christian mystic.

Life

From their outer life, there is little information that can be found all only her work. Probably descended from noble parents, Mechthild received a good education. At age 12 she had her first mystical experience. Around the age of 20 she moved to Magdeburg, where they more than 30 years as a Beguine by the Rule of St.. Dominic lived. Around 1250 they began to acclaim her confessor, Heinrich von Halle on the joys and agonies of their mystical experiences to write with God. Your written in Middle Low German records presented by Heinrich Hall together with the first six of the seven books of the " Flowing Light of the Godhead ." The sensation which it excited with this publication and the time criticism of the real religious life, the church and the world, it has probably caused the last years of her life withdrawn in the Cistercian monastery Helfta spend. There she met, among others, the young Gertrude of Helfta. She lived for 12 years in the monastery, and added at this time still a seventh book to your records added.

The life of the mystic and her visions were interpreted pictorially in Christian art of the Middle Ages.

Examples:

  • In a so-called Epitaphaltar the Magdeburg Cathedral, which shows a vision of the life of Mechthild ( of the altar is shown and described in: aq 2006, Vol 2, p 380 f with Figure 538). The founder of the color rimmed stone reliefs is visualized here kneeling beside the mystic.

The work

Mechthild used in their comprehensive seven- part books work " The Flowing Light of the Godhead" images of the Song and minnesongs to describe the mystical marriage of the soul with Christ. It is inter alia influenced by Bernard of Clairvaux, David of Augsburg, Hildegard of Bingen, and Gregory the Great. Mechthild's writings are considered one of the most impressive examples of the German women's mysticism and show the level of women's education in the Middle Ages. The Low German original of their text is not transmitted to us. What we have is a top German transmission, which was created in 1343-1345 circle of the city of God and friends around Henry of Nördlingen. This manuscript is now as Codex Einsidlensis 277 in the Abbey Library of Einsiedeln. In addition, some more traditional excerpts or fragments occupy a certain, though not very wide medieval reception of Mechthild's work. In addition, Mechthild work was translated early into Latin. From this version, an extensive manuscript is also obtained, which contains the first six books of the " Flowing Light", with the lyrics, however, are arranged differently.

Werkausgaben

  • The Flowing Light of the Godhead. Edited by Margot Schmidt. Stuttgart-Bad Cannstatt (From Man Holzboog ) 1995 ISBN 3-7728-1692-4
  • The Flowing Light of the Godhead. Edited by Gisela Vollmann - Profe. Frankfurt ( German Classics Publishing ) 2003 ISBN 3-618-66195-9 ** new edition by the publisher of world religions, Frankfurt am Main 2010 ISBN 978-3-86539-246-6
  • [ A fleece- end lieht miner deity in ] revelations of the sister Mechthild of Magdeburg or The Flowing Light of the Godhead: from the only manuscript of the pen Einsiedeln. Unveränd. reprographic reprint of Regensburg in 1869. Darmstadt (Scientific Book Company ) 1989
  • The Flowing Light of the Godhead: as the hermit handwriting in a critical comparison with the entire tradition. Edited by Hans Neumann. Munich (Artemis Verlag)
  • The Flowing Light of the Godhead. Selection and transfer of Sigmund Simon. 1907, Berlin, Oesterheld.

Setting of their works

  • I would die happy from Minne, 1942 by Johann Nepomuk David for soprano and organ
  • The desert has twelve Ding, 2002 by Reinhard Seehafer
  • From zweyn ungelichen because, in 2009 by Frank Wunderlich ( on the CD " spell singing and Saxon Mirror " published by the minstrels ). In the same publisher the grade book was published in 2010 " O arn more luxurious " with additional settings of Mechthild Frank Wunderlich.
  • Dy Love, published in 2010 by Ougenweide ( Frank Wulff / Sabine Maria tear ) on the album " heart leap"

Radio play machining

  • The medievalist Hildegard Elisabeth Keller integrated Mechthild of Magdeburg as one of five main female characters in the Trilogy of the Timeless which is the end of September was published in 2011. Selected passages have been included in the written and directed by their radio play The Ocean in the thimble. In the fictional encounter, Mechthild entertains with Hildegard of Bingen, Hadewijch Etty Hillesum and.

Anniversaries

  • Catholic: August 15 (not beatified or canonized )
  • Evangelical: February 26 ( in the name Evangelical Calendar )
  • Anglican: 19th of November ( in the Common Worship )
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