St Peter’s Anglican Church

Dame Julian of Norwich, Mystic - May 8

Almost all our information about Dame Julian comes from the little she says of herself in her writings. From these we can deduce that she was born about 1342. At the age of 30 she suffered a serious illness, and indeed received the last rites. The priest then gave her a crucifix on which to look and find comfort while she waited for death. The following day, 8 May 1373, she received fifteen revelations or visions, followed by one further one on the evening of the next day.

She recovered from the illness, and soon after this wrote about her experience. Twenty years later she wrote a longer account, which she called The Sixteen Revelations of Divine Love. This was the product of years of reflection on the experience. It is considered one of the most important and inspiring books of that time. The revelations are chiefly concerned with the passion of Christ and with the holy Trinity. In her reflections on these, Julian shows her keen perception of the power of divine love over evil.Read more...