At the risk of sounding like a religious maniac

[tree_and_leaf]

I can't resist pointing out that today is the festival of Julian of Norwich, mystic and writer of genius (and one of the earliest named English women authors to boot)

ETA: And all shall be well, and all shall be well, and all manner of things shall be well.

Hm: if only I knew how to do animated icons; that would make a good one.

Comments

[sacred-sarcasm.livejournal.com]

Our college chaplain is a big fan of Julian (she's writing a thesis on English mystics, I think - well, is supposed to be writing a thesis; she has two very small children and her job as chaplain, so I think the DPhil is non-officially on hiatus at the moment) so we'll probably celebrate her feast in chapel tonight.

I must admit I haven't read any Julian of Norwich myself (it's on my ever-expanding list!)

[themolesmother.livejournal.com]

Here's a wonderful piece of useless information for you.

Julian of Norwich makes a cameo appearance in the Anya Seton bodice ripper, "Katherine", the (highly-coloured) story of the lover affair between Katherine Swynford and John of Gaunt which produced the Beaufort Clan and, ultimately, Henry Tudor.

MM

[cuiaalfheim.livejournal.com]

Hurrah for Julian! She's one of my favorite female authors, though she's even better when read next to Margery. Thanks for pointing out that it was her day, you religious maniac, you. ;)

[oursin.livejournal.com]

All shall be well?

[tree_and_leaf]

Julian's great (especially the vision where she sees the world held in God's hands, the size of a hazlenut) Like all mystics, she shouldn't be read in one sitting, though.

Hope she get's a decent mention in your chapel!

[tree_and_leaf]

I'm... really struggling to imagine that.

Boggle, boggle, boggle.

Indeed.

[tree_and_leaf]

And all manner of things, too.

[tree_and_leaf]

She's a much better theologian than Margery, though. (Actually, if there was any justice, it would be Julian who was declared a Doctor of the Church, rather than Catherine. Or both, of course, but that's probably too much to hope for, given the RC attitude to women...)

I think Julian may also be in line for a small prize as Sanest Mediaeval Mystic. Mechthild would probably be runner up, but she's a bit too neurotic about sex to calim outright victory.

[harriet-wimsey.livejournal.com]

She was a mystic! Why would you even want to resist pointing out her festival?

[intertext.livejournal.com]

You might be interested to know that last year, when I was in England around this time, I made a special trip to Norwich precisely to see Juliana's shrine. I met her via TS Eliot (Four Quartets), but like her on her own right as well.

[lilliburlero.livejournal.com]

This won't really do, will it? I haven't got many tools at my disposal & I'm only learning. But you're welcome to it if you'd like it.

[tree_and_leaf]

Native caution?

[tree_and_leaf]

Good for you - I hope you found it worth the detour!

I think a lot of people first come across Julian via TS Eliot - which is great, as it's always nice to see good writers escaping the period ghetto, by whatever means.

[tree_and_leaf]

The idea's good, but the text is a bit fuzzy. I always find text and pictures difficult to combine convincingly (see not-very-accomplished icon next to this comment!)

Thanks for sharing, at any rate!

[lilliburlero.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I don't have a good font choice: I put everything into that weird pseudo-secretary-hand ("carolingia" though I don't know what the poor Carolinginians did to deserve it) because the other available fonts are even uglier, would you believe. But it's quite fun to make them...hmm, I wonder if I can afford photoshop...?

[lilliburlero.livejournal.com]

Or Carolingians, even. Sod it, I have The Lurgi.