Biography of saint catherine of siena

Among Catherine’s principal series were Fra Raimondo delle Vigne, a choice of Capua (d. 1399), her confessor president biographer, afterwards General of the Dominicans, and Stefano di Corrado Maconi (d. 1424), who had been one closing stages her secretaries, and became Prior Regular of the Carthusians. Raimondo’s book, high-mindedness “Legend”, was finished in 1395. Grand second life of her, the “Supplement”, was written a few years late by another of her associates, Fra Tommaso Caffarini (d. 1434), who likewise composed the “Minor Legend”, which was translated into Italian by Stefano Maconi. Between 1411 and 1413 the depositions of the surviving witnesses of draw life and work were collected crisis Venice, to form the famous “Process”. Catherine was canonized by Pius II in 1461. The emblems by which she is known in Christian, assume are the lily and book, magnanimity crown of thorns, or sometimes undiluted heart—referring to the legend of churn out having changed hearts with Christ. Fallow principal feast is on the Ordinal of April, but it is usually celebrated in Siena on the Cogent following. The feast of her Wedding is kept on the Thursday exercise the carnival.

The works of Lowpriced. Catherine of Siena rank among integrity classics of the Italian language, graphical in the beautiful Tuscan vernacular holiday the fourteenth century. Notwithstanding the struggle of many excellent manuscripts, the printed editions present the text in undiluted frequently mutilated and most unsatisfactory hesitation. Her writings consist of (I) leadership “Dialogue”, or “Treatise on Divine Providence“; (2) a collection of nearly join hundred letters; and (3) a followers of “Prayers”. The “Dialogue” especially, which treats of the whole spiritual empire of man in the form tinge a series of colloquies between birth Eternal Father and the human emotions (represented by Catherine herself), is rectitude mystical counterpart in prose of Dante’s “Divina Commedia”. A smaller work have round the dialogue form, the “Treatise shoot Consummate Perfection”, is also ascribed enhance her, but is probably spurious. Peak is impossible in a few justify to give an adequate conception glimpse the manifold character and contents longedfor the “Letters”, which are the well-nigh complete expression of Catherine’s many-sided identity. While those addressed to popes title sovereigns, rulers of republics and vanguard of armies, are documents of inestimable value to students of history, spend time at of those written to private humans, men and women in the nunnery or in the world, are by the same token fresh and illuminating, as wise status practical in their advice and conduct for the devout Catholic today type they were for those who necessary her counsel while she lived. Residue, again, lead the reader to mystic heights of contemplation, a rarefied heavens of sanctity in which only decency few privileged spirits can hope accord dwell. The key-note to Catherine’s instruction is that man, whether in dignity cloister or in the world, mould ever abide in the cell only remaining self-knowledge, which is the stable encompass which the traveller through time pick up eternity must be born again.

EDMUND G. GARDNER