Mechtild, Béguine of Magdeburg, Mystic

19 November -- Commemoration
If celebrated as a Lesser Festival, Common of Religious, page 494

Mechtild was born in about the year 1210. The writings for which she is known speak of her experience of the love of God as it was revealed to her. This experience began when she was twelve years old. She responded to it by joining a community of Béguines at the age of about eighteen. After forty years, she moved to the Cistercian convent of Helfta and in about 1270 completed her writings there. Helfta was a remarkable centre of learning at that time with other outstanding personalities in the community. She wrote with poetic sensitivity in direct and simple language of the exchange of love with God. She died on this day in the year 1280.