The Life of Christina of Hane

Book excerpt: The first English translation of The Life of Christina of Hane, a gripping account of a largely unknown medieval female mystic "Who was Christina of Hane? History knows little about her, but Racha Kirakosian here presents a fascinating enigma--a mystical compendium disguised as a saint's Life. Students of medieval religion will eagerly probe its mysteries."--Barbara Newman, Northwestern University The thirteenth-century mystic Christina of Hane led an extraordinary life, but her recently unearthed case remains to be discovered in the English-speaking world. Her disturbing account of vaginal mutilation, her competition with the Virgin Mary, and her potentially heretical statements about the union with Christ are but a few peculiarities worth highlighting. This remarkable work sheds new light on convent life, spiritual practices, and physical and mental suffering in the life of medieval women and the communities they inhabited.