The firmament is like a human head; the sun, moon and stars are the eyes; the air is our sense of hearing, the winds our sense of smell, the dew our taste; the sides of the cosmos are like our arms and our sense of touch, but the earth is our heart.
Hildegard of Bingen, b. 1098
The firmament is like a human head; the sun, moon and stars are the eyes; the air is our sense of hearing, the winds our sense of smell, the dew our taste; the sides of the cosmos are like our arms and our sense of touch, but the earth is our heart.
Hildegard of Bingen, b. 1098
Sometimes, when she saw a man or animal being wounded or beaten – whether it was a child getting hit in front of her, a horse getting whipped – she felt as if she was seeing our Lord being beaten or wounded, just like she witnessed in the person or the animal.
Margery Kempe, born c. 1373
A human being contains three paths: namely, soul, body and senses. The soul fills the body with life and brings forth the senses; for its part the body attracts the soul to it and opens the senses; in turn the senses touch the body and draw the soul to them.
Hildegard of Bingen, b. 1098
Mercy works—protecting, tolerating, reviving, and healing, and all through the tenderness of love; and grace works: raising, rewarding, and endlessly exceeding what our love and our efforts deserve... and this stems from the abundance of love
Julian of Norwich, b. 1342
The soul provides the body with life like fire flooding the darkness with light; it has two major powers like two arms: the understanding and the will. The soul reveals herself in these two powers like the sun manifesting itself in the splendour of its light.
Hildegard of Bingen, b. 1098
The soul reveals her capabilities according to the capabilities of the body, so that in childhood she brings forth simplicity, in youth strength, and in the fullness of age, when all the veins of the human being are full, she brings forth her greatest strength in wisdom.
Hildegard of Bingen b. 1098
12th century German nun and illuminator Guda who created one of the earliest surviving self-portraits of a woman in European imagery #womensart
Our failing is full of fear, our falling is full of shame, and our dying is full of sorrow; but through all this the sweet eye of pity and love never looks away from us, nor does the operation of mercy cease. For I saw the property of mercy and I saw the property of grace
Julian of Norwich b. 1342
Mercy works sweetly through love by grace, mingled with abundant pity; because mercy works for our safekeeping, and mercy works by turning everything to good for us. Through love, mercy lets us fail: and in as much as we fail, by so much we fall, and by so much we die
Julian of Norwich, b. 1342
And this is what he means when he says, ‘All manner of things shall be well.’ For he wants us to know that the smallest thing will not be forgotten.
Julian of Norwich, b. 1342
Then, she got food for them. When the creature swaddled Jesus, tears of compassion flowed, thinking about the harsh death he would endure for sinful humanity. Gently wrapping Him, she said, “Lord, I’ll be gentle; I won't wrap you tightly. Please, don’t be upset with me.”
Margery Kempe born c.1373
Then, she continued with Mary to Bethlehem. Each night, she made sure she was warmly welcomed and got comfortable lodging. She also gathered soft white clothes and kerchiefs to swaddle her soon-to-be-born Son. When Jesus was born, the creature arranged bedding for Mary and her blessed child.
I’ll say to you, my blessed spouse, ‘Welcome to me with all kinds of joy and happiness, to live here with me and never to leave, to always stay with me in joy and bliss, which no eye has seen, no ear has heard, no tongue can tell, and no heart can imagine.’
Margery Kempe, born c. 1373
Here begins a short and comforting treatise for sinful wretches where they can find great solace and comfort and understand the high and indescribable mercy of our sovereign Savior, Christ Jesus. May His name be honored and magnified forever.
Margery Kempe, born c. 1373
Lady Justice came to me and said, ‘In my opinion, Christine, you have indeed done your very best... you’ve made a fine job of building the City of Ladies. It’s now time for me to add the finishing touches, as I promised you I would. I shall bring you a most noble queen.
-Christine de Pizan, b. 1365
For when you see in the southern sky an image, beautiful and wonderful in the mystery of God, like a human in form, this is because Divine Love is beautiful because of her election in the strength of unfailing divinity... and thus Divine Love reveals humankind.
St. Hildegard of Bingen, b. 1098
If you want me to give you examples of male inconstancy from the past, since men persist in attacking women for this failing, just look at the behaviour of the most powerful princes and the most eminent men, in whom these are more dangerous faults than in others.
- Christine de Pizan, b. 1365
With this same expression of joy he looked down on his right side and said, ‘Would you like to see her?’ as if he had said with sweetness, ‘I well know you would like to see my blessed mother, for after myself she is the highest joy, the greatest delight and honour to me.’
Julian of Norwich, b. 1342
I have discovered that women are more than capable of undertaking any task which requires physical strength or of learning any discipline which requires discernment and intelligence. Books which say otherwise were definitely not written by women.
- Christine de Pizan, b. 1365
First Woman Appointed Archbishop of Canterbury www.nytimes.com/2025/10/03/w...
Reason replied, “Believe me, many crucial and worthy arts and sciences have been discovered thanks to the ingenuity and cleverness of women, both in the theoretical sciences expressed through the written word, and in the technical crafts.”
- Christine de Pizan, b. 1365
She had such great compassion to see our Lord’s pain that she could not keep herself from crying and roaring though she should have died for it.This kind of crying lasted for many years and she suffered much contempt and much reproof for it. The crying was so loud and so amazing it astounded people.
So, cry cry, beat your hands and cry – as once the sad Argia did, along with the ladies of Argos – you ladies, damsels, and women of the kingdom of France! Because the swords that will make you widows and deprive you of your children and kin have already been sharpened.
Christine de Pizan, b. 1365
Alone am I and alone I wish to be,
Alone my gentle friend has left me,
Alone am I, with no companion,
Alone am I, in bitterness and in pain,
Alone am I in tormented lamentation,
Alone am I much more than any wandering soul,
Alone am I and without a friend remain
- Christine de Pizan, b. 1365
‘You have suffered much shame and reproof, and therefore you shall have very much bliss in heaven. Daughter, do not be ashamed to receive my grace... you shall be received into heaven with me everlastingly as my beloved darling, as my blessed spouse, and as my holy wife.’
Margery Kempe, born c. 1373
A 900-Year-Old Typo May Unravel a Chaucer Mystery www.nytimes.com/2025/07/15/w...
