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.