Hildegard of Bingen (1098-1179) was a German Benedictine abbess, writer, composer, philosopher, Christian mystic, visionary, and polymath. She is considered to be one of the most important figures of medieval theology and one of the greatest mystics of the Western tradition. Hildegard was a highly influential figure in her time and continues to inspire people today with her profound wisdom and spirituality.
According to biblical accounts, Hildegard was born in 1098 in Bermersheim, near Alzey, to a noble family. From a very young age, she claimed to have visions of luminous objects and flashes of light, but kept these experiences to herself. At the age of 8, Hildegard’s parents offered her as an oblate to the church, and she was enclosed in an anchorage attached to the Benedictine monastery at Disibodenberg. She lived as an anchorite in the cell with an older nun, Jutta, who taught her biblical scriptures and the Psalms. She also learned to read, write, and sing plainchant. Upon Jutta’s death in 1136, Hildegard was unanimously elected as magistra (head of the community) by her fellow nuns.
Around 1141, Hildegard began writing down her visions in illuminated texts full of allegorical imagery and symbolism. She believed she was recording insights directly revealed to her by God. After ten years of hesitation, she decided to publish her writings after seeking the approval of Bernard of Clairvaux, who arranged a commission to examine her. The commission found her visions to be authentic, and Pope Eugenius III gave Hildegard his blessing. This papal approval was crucial for a woman writer and theologian at this time.
Hildegard’s first major work was Scivias (“Know the Ways of the Lord”), which took ten years to complete (1141–1151). It is a collection of 26 visionary experiences, interspersed with Hildegard’s biblical exegeses and allegorical interpretations. Through vivid imagery, she explores the mystic union between God and humanity, often using the metaphor of conjugal love. Scivias established Hildegard’s legitimacy and famed theological insights.
In addition to Scivias, Hildegard composed many other celebrated works of visionary theology. These include Liber Vitae Meritorum (1158-1163), documenting her visions of the cosmos and dramatizing the battle between virtues and vices. She also wrote Liber Divinorum Operum (“Book of Divine Works”), an elaboration of her visionary experiences focusing on the Trinity, redemption, and the hierarchic relation between God, humans, and creation. Her final book of visions was Liber Diviae Bonitatis Simplicis (“The Book of the Simplicity of Divine Goodness”).
Beyond her mystical writings, Hildegard produced treatises on natural history and healing. She also composed Regula Sancti Benedicti, designing convent regulations for her nuns. Her largest treatise was Physica, documenting the healing properties of various plants, stones, fish, reptiles, and animals. Additionally, she authored Causae et Curae, an innovatively structured medical text examining the human body and various illnesses. These works exhibit Hildegard’s remarkable intellect and observational powers.
As an abbess, Hildegard founded two monasteries near Bingen – St. Rupertsberg in 1150 and Eibingen in 1165. She served as Abbess of these convents until her death. Rejecting the common practice of allowing nuns to return to their families, she required life-long cloistering. Hildegard also undertook four preaching tours through Germany, speaking publicly in cathedrals, confronting clergy over abuses, and calling people to repentance.
In addition to her prolific writings and teachings, Hildegard was also a gifted musical composer. She wrote over 70 original compositions, including the Ordo Virtutum, essentially a liturgical drama set to music. The scope of her musical compositions was unparalleled for a female composer of her time. Her lyrics demonstrate her medieval aesthetic theology, focusing on the Virgin Mary, saints, virtues, and the fight against devilish vices.
Hildegard corresponded extensively with monks, popes, kings, and emperors, becoming an influential advisor in her time. She corresponded with Louis VII of France, Frederick Barbarossa, and many high-ranking clergymen. She urged the clergy to publicly preach, rather than just silently meditate. She rebuked those in power who abused their authority through deception, simony, or support of heresy. Her influence and counsel were sought by figures from every level of medieval society.
On September 17, 1179, Hildegard died at the age of 81, a remarkably long life for that time. She was buried at the monastery in Rupertsberg. In 1244, her relics were translated into a beautiful sarcophagus at the convent in Eibingen. Miraculous healings were reported at her tomb, which became the site of pilgrimages. The sisters at her convents preserved her writings and music compositions.
While Hildegard was respected during her lifetime, interest in her diminished in the centuries after her death. Her writings were rarely copied and few pilgrims visited her tomb. However, in recent decades, Hildegard has undergone a remarkable resurgence and her writings and music are widely praised today. She is referenced in many feminist works and her compositions are frequently recorded and performed.
On May 10, 2012, Pope Benedict XVI formally canonized Hildegard and named her a Doctor of the Church – one of only four women to receive this highest honor. She was proclaimed a saint of “universally recognized sanctity.” In 2010, her 900th birthday was celebrated with exhibitions and special events around the world, highlighting her enduring wisdom.
Hildegard’s extensive surviving works provide deep insight into medieval theology, natural philosophy, music theory, and women’s religious experiences. She transcended traditional roles for women and fearlessly preached divine truths revealed to her in mystical visions. Her multifaceted accomplishments make Hildegard one of the most remarkable polymaths and creative geniuses of the entire Middle Ages.
In summary, Hildegard of Bingen was a revered medieval nun, writer, composer, philosopher, and visionary. She reported having vivid mystical experiences of divine revelations from a young age. Despite living in an enclosed religious order, she produced a large body of influential theological, natural history, and medicinal texts. Hildegard also composed celebrated liturgical music and established two monasteries where she served as abbess. She was an influential advisor to people from all levels of medieval society. Centuries after her death, Hildegard was formally canonized as a Catholic saint and named a Doctor of the Church. Her profound wisdom and creative accomplishments continue to inspire people today.