Curiosities of Olden TimesBaring-Gould, S. (Sabine)
History
Curiosities of Olden Times
Baring-Gould, S. (Sabine)
Curiosities and wonders
In her old age she was often given shelter by the kind sisters of St.
Catherine at St. Trond, and she returned their hospitality by her amusing
antics. One day, as she was talking with them, she suddenly curled
herself up into a ball, and began to roll round the room, “like a boy’s
ball, without any token of her limbs appearing.” Then, all at once, she
expanded flat on the floor, and ventriloquised. “No voice or breath issued
from her mouth and nose, but only her breast and throat resounded with an
angelic harmony.” She concluded this exhibition by singing the “Te Deum”
from the pit of her stomach, and then jumped up and ran away.
We can understand that at a time when hysterical disorders were completely
misunderstood, such marvellous contortions and tricks were reputed to be
due to spiritual agency, either divine or diabolic. Towards the close of
her days she spent most of her time in the Convent of St. Catherine, and
she was there when attacked by her mortal sickness.
When she was apparently insensible the Superior, Sister Beatrice, said to
her, “Christina! you have always been obedient to me; return now to life,
I have something I desire to ask of you.”
Then Christina opened her eyes and said, “Why have you disturbed me? Be
quick, I cannot tarry; tell me what you want, that I may be gone.”
Then the Superior put the question, received her reply, and the next
moment the poor clouded spirit fled. She died on 24th July 1224, at the
age of eighty-four.
Twenty-five years after her death an old woman told the Superior, “I have
come to you with a divine revelation, to say that the body of that most
holy woman, Christina, is not receiving proper respect from you. If you
neglect to give it sufficient honour it will fare ill with you.”
On the strength of this vague message the body of the poor old creature
was dug up, and enshrined. Miracles attended the elevation of the bones,
and thenceforth St. Christina the Wonderful came to be regarded as a saint
in the Low Countries. Her body is still preserved as that of one of the
elect of God in the Church of St. Catherine at Milin, near St. Trond; and
her name has been inserted in a good number of martyrologies--amongst
others, that of France. It is not in the Roman Martyrology, where,
however, she has a better right to figure than have St. Symeon Salos and
St. Nicolas of Trani, who were loose fishes as well as fools.
THE JACKASS OF VANVRES
A CAUSE CÉLÈBRE
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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