|
Catherine of Siena 1347-1380 |
Hagiography
Bibliography
Editions
Translations
Studies
Mysticism
Links
Catherine of Siena has stirred the imagination as a mystic. For modern eyes it is also remarkable that she
has been canonized as a lay woman. Catherine was born in Siena on March 25, 1347 as the twentieth-third child of the rich dyer Jacopo Benincasa and his wif Lapa Piagenti. At the age of six she received her first vision. Early on she decided to lead a deeply religious life. However, instead of joining a monastery or marrying she stayed at her parental home, in a kind of cell. After initial refusal she could join around 1365 the Dominican tertiaries, in Siena called "Mantellate" because of their black capes. Catherine started a life of contemplation and very real support and care for those in need of help. At the Ospedale della Scala and the
San Lazzaro leprosery she tended to the ill. Around her gathered a group of inspired followers and supporters, her "bella compagnia".
On account of her visions Catherine had already become a notable figure in all Italy. In 1374 the Dominican priest Raymond of Capua (around 1330-1398) became her confessor. Raymond was elected master-general of the Dominican Order in 1380. He encouraged her to use her influence in city politics and in the Church at large. Thus she came in contact with pope Gregory IX. Catherine urged him to return from Avignon, to start a crusade and to reform the Church. The pope came back to Rome indeed in 1377. His successor, Urban VI, invited Catherine to Rome, where she addressed the cardinals in the papal consistory. She died in her humble house in the Via di Papa in Rome on April 29, 1380, fraught with paralysis and severe illness. She was buried nearby at the church of Santa Maria sopra Minerva in Rome.
Catherine could not write herself until very late, so she dictated to her secretaries. Her main work is the Dialogue of the divine providence from 1378, also called "Book of the divine doctrine", which she said to have been revealed to her in a vision. There are also 381 letters, addressed to many persons in and outside Italy, including citizens and clerics, from priests and nuns up to cardinals and popes. 26 prayers stem from her visions and ecstasies. In these prayers her language seems even more direct and personal than in her letters. Her works form a milestone of the Italian literature. The Dialogue was printed for the first time in 1492. The Orcherd of Syon is a version of the Dialogue in Middle English.
Catherine's rather unorthodox behaviour and role never prevented her to receive posthumously ecclesiastical recognition. In 1461 pope Pius II canonized her. In 1866 she became co-patron saint of Rome. Since 1939 she is the patron saint of Italy together with Francis of Assisi. Further honours include the title of Doctor of the Church given by Paul VI in 1970, and the co-patronship of Europe, a title bestowed
on her by John Paul II in 1999.
On Internet several webpages with biographies of Catherine of Siena exist. Here you will find references to the hagiographic sources and documents concerning her canonization. This page focuses on her works, showing editions and translations.
Her representation in art is dealt with in a section on
iconography. A selection of relevant studies and some weblinks follow. There is
also a special journal on her, the Studi Cateriniani.
Hagiography
Bibliography
Editions
Translations
Studies
Mysticism
Links
Hagiography
- sources and biographical criticism
- Fontes vitae sanctae Catherinae Senensis historici (21 vol., Siena-Florence-Milan 1936-1942) - including the Processo Castellano [vol. 9, Marie-Hyacinthe Laurent (ed.)] and the Miracula [vol. 4, Francesco Valli (ed.)].
- Tomaso Caffarelli, Sanctae Catherinae Senensis legenda minor, Ezio Franchescini (ed.) (Milan-Siena 1942).
- Raimundus Capuanus, The life of St. Catherine, tr. George Lamb (London 1960).
- Raimundus van Capua, Das Leben des heiligen Katharina von Siena, Adrian Schenker (ed. and tr.) (Düsseldorf 1965) - the "Legenda Maior".
- Raymond of Capua, The life of St. Catherine of Siena, tr. Conleth Kearns (Wilmington, De., 1980).
- Thomas Caffarini, Libellus de supplemento : legende prolixe beate virginis Catherine de Senis, Giuliana Cavallini and Imelda Foralosso (eds.) (Rome 1974).
- Fawtier, Robert, Sainte Catherine de Sienne. Essai de critique des sources (2 vol., Paris 1921-1930) - see for her vitae in general the Bibliotheca hagiographica latina (2 vol., Brussels
1898-1901), with the Novum Supplementum by H. Fros (Brussels 1986;
Subsidia hagiographica, 70).
- Dupré Theseider, Eugenio, article "Caterina da Siena, santa", in: Dizionario biografico degli Italiani 22 (Rome 1979) 361-379 - with full references to sources and literature.
Introduction
Bibliography
Editions
Translations
Studies
Mysticism
Links
Bibliography
- Zanini, Lina, Bibliografia analitica di santa Caterina da Siena 1901-1950 (Rome 1971).
- Paterna, Maria Carlotta, Bibliografia analitica di santa Caterina da Siena 1950-1975 (Rome 1985).
- Paterna, Maria Carlotta, Bibliografia analitica di santa
Caterina da Siena 1976-1985 (Rome 1989).
- Paterna, Maria Carlotta, Bibliogafia analitica di santa
Caterina da Siena 1986-1990 (Rome 2000).
Introduction
Hagiography
Editions
Translations
Studies
Mysticism
Links
Editions
The edition by Gerolamo Gigli, Le opere della serafica santa Caterina da Siena (5 vol., Siena-Lucca 1707-1754) is antiquated. See under
Hagiography for the editions of hagiographical sources.
Dialogue
- Catarina da Siena, Il libro della divina provvidenza ovvero Libro della divina dottrina, Giuliana Cavallini (ed.) (Rome 1968; 2nd revised ed. Rome 1980; Siena 1995).
- Santa Catarina da Siena, Il libro della divina dottrina, A. Puccetti (ed.) (2nd ed., Siena 1980).
- Catherine of Siena, The orcherd of Syon, Phyllis Hodgson and Gabril M. Liegey (eds.)
(London 1966; Early English Text Society, 258) - the Middle English version of the Dialogue.
Letters
- Le lettere di santa Caterina da Siena, Niccolo Tommaseo (ed.) (4 vol., Florence 1860).
- Le lettere di santa Caterina da Siena, Piero Misciatelli (ed.) (6 vol., Florence 1939-1947) - partly a reimpression of Tomasseo's edition, partly a re-edition of several separately published letters since 1860.
- Epistolario di santa Caterina da Siena I, Eugenio Dupré Theseider (ed.) (Rome 1940; Fonti per la Storia d'Italia, 82) - the only volume of a critical edition, with 88 letters.
Other works
- Catarina da Siena, Le orazioni, Giuliana Cavallini (ed.) (Rome 1978) - revised edition with a preface by Mario Ismaele Castellano (Siena
1993).
Introduction
Hagiography
Bibliography
Translations
Studies
Mysticism
Links
Translations
Dialogue
- Santa Caterina da Siena, Dialogo della divina provvidenza, tr. Maria Adelaide Raschini (Bologna 1991, 2001).
- Catherine of Siena, The dialogue, tr. Suzanne Noffke (London-New York 1980) - the online
translation is the one by Algar Thorold (1925).
- Katharina von Siena, Gespräch von Gottes Vorsehung, tr. E. Sommer-von Seckendorff (Einsiedeln 1985).
- Catherine de Sienne, Le dialogue, tr. Lucienne Portier (Paris 1992, 1999).
- Catherine de Sienne, Le livre de dialogue, suivi des lettres,
tr. Louis-Paul Guiges (Paris 1981, reprint 2002) - an older French translation of the Dialogue by E. Cartier (1855; reprint a.o. Paris 1981) is
available online.
- Obras de Santa Catalina de Siena : El dialogo, tr. Angel Morta (Madrid 1955).
- Santa Catalina de Siena, El Diálogo : oraciones y soliloquios,
tr.. José Salvador y Conde (Madrid 1980).
Letters
There is an online Italian translation from the Tuscan of the Lettere in PDF-format [2,8 MB], with 381 letters.
- The letters of Saint Catherine of Siena, tr. Suzanne Noffke (2 vol., Binghamton, N.Y., 1988; reprint 2 vol., Tempe, Ariz., 2000-2001).
- Saint Catherine of Siena as seen in her letters, tr. Vida
Duddon Scudder (London-New York 1905) - an old selection, also online.
- Saint Catherine of Siena : passion for truth, compassion for humanity - selected spiritual writings, tr. Mary O'Driscoll (1999).
- Catherina von Siena Briefe, tr. Louise Gnädinger (Olten-Freiburg i.Br. 1980).
- Santa Catalina de Siena, Enseñanzas de vida espiritual :
seleccíon de cartas, tr. José Salvador y Conde (Caleruega
1983).
- Caterina da Siena, Lettere, tr. U. Meattini (4th ed., Milan 1987).
- Catherine de Sienne, Lettres, tr. E. Cartier (1855; reprint Paris 1976) - also available online, letters 1-165 and letters 166-373.
- Katharina von Siena, Ich will mich einmischen in die Welt : engagierte Briefe des Glaubens, selection by Manfred Baumotte, translation by Ferdinand Strobel (Zürich 1997).
- Caterina da Siena, Lettere mistiche, tr. Massimo Baldini (Casale Monferrato 1998).
- Le lettere di Santa Caterina da Siena, tr. Giuseppe Di Ciaccia (2 vol., Bologna 1996-1999).
Other works
- The prayers of Saint Catherine of Siena, tr. Suzanne Noffke (New York 1983; 2nd. ed., New York 2001).
- Van der Plancke, Chantal, 15 days of prayer with Catherine of
Siena, Victoria Hébert and Denis Sabourin (trad.) (Liguori,
Mo., 2000) - first edition in Dutch as Vijftien dagen bidden met Catharina van Siena (Bonheiden 1998).
- Katharina von Siena, Meditative Gebete, tr. Hilarius Barth (Einsiedeln 1980).
- Catherine de Sienne, Les oraisons, tr. Lucienne Portier (Paris 1992) - another translation of the prayers is available online.
- Sainte Catherine de Sienne, Jésus Christ notre Résurrection. Oraisons et élévations, tr. Augustin Bernard (Paris 1980).
Introduction
Hagiography
Bibliography
Editions
Studies
Mysticism
Links
Studies (in chronological order)
- a selection
- Fawtier, Robert, La double expérience de Catherine Benincasa (Paris 1948) - a life by the same medieval historian who critisized so sharply the hagiographical sources on saint Catherine.
- Levasti, Arrigo, Sainte Catherine de Sienne, combattante de la paix (Paris 1954) - first in Italian (1947).
- Perrin, Joseph-Marie, Catherine de Sienne, comtemplative dans l'action (Paris 1980, 1999).
- Doornik, N.G.M. van, Een vrouw die niet zweeg in de kerk : Catharina van Siena [A woman who did not keep silent in the Church : Catherine of Siena] (Nimwegue-Bruges 1980) - also in German : Katharina von Siena (Freiburg i.Br. 1980).
- Nigg, Walter, Catharina van Siena en haar tijd : een heiligenleven (Antwerp 1980) - a brief life with fragments from her works in translation, also in German: Katharina von Siena, die Lehrerin der Kirche (Fribourg i.Br. 1980).
- Atti del simposio internazionale Cateriniano-Bernardiniano, Siena 17-20 aprile 1980, Domenico Maffei and Paolo Nardi (eds.) (Siena 1982).
- Schenker, Adrian, Die heilige Katharina von Siena (Düsseldorf 1985).
- Women and men in spiritual culture XIV-XVII centuries. A
meeting of South and North, Elisja Schulte van Kessel (ed.) (The Hague 1986).
- Aurigemma, Luisa, Il volgare senese de "Il dialogo" di S. Caterina da Siena (Naples 1988).
- Unger, Helga, Die Berge der Liebe : europäische Frauenmystik (Freiburg i.Br. 1991).
- Zancan, Marina, 'Lettere di Caterina da Siena', in: Letteratura italiana. Le opere, I : Dalle origini al Cinquecento I (4 vol., Turin 1992) 593-633.
- Anodal, Gabriella, Caterina da Siena. Il fuoco della divina carità (Padua 1993).
- Riccardi, C., Pensiero filosofico e mistico di santa Caterina da Siena (Siena 1994).
- Lohrum, Meinolf, and Maria Magdalena Dörtelmann, Katharina von Siena Lehrerin der Kirche (Hildesheim 1994; Münsterschwarzach 1995).
- O’Driscoll, Mary, Catherine of Sienna (Strasbourg 1995).
- Uboldi, Raffaelo, Caterina da Siena. La grande
santa (Milan 1995).
- Cavallini, Giuliana, Things visible and unvisible : images in the spirituality of St. Catherine of Siena (Staten Island, N.Y., 1996).
- Noffke, Suzanne, Catherine of Siena. Vision through a distant eye (Collegeville, Iowa, 1996).
- Woods, Richard, and Philip Sheldrake, Mysticism and prophecy. The Dominican tradition (Maryknoll, N.Y., 1998).
- Cavallini, Giuliana, Catherine of Siena (London 1998).
- Courcelles, Dominique de, Le "Dialogue" de Catherine de Sienne (Paris 1999).
- Helbling, Hanno, Katharina von Siena : Mystik und Politik (Munich 2000).
- Sesé, Bernard, Petite vie de Catherine de Sienne (Paris 2000).
- Hilkert, Mary Catherine, Speaking with authority : Catherine of Siena and the voices of women today (New York 2001).
- Thomas Luongo, F., The saintly politics of Catherine of Siena
(Ithaca, N.Y.-London 2006).
Iconography
- Kaftal, George, Saint Catherine in Tuscan painting (Oxford 1949).
- catalogue Catherina van Siëna 1347-1380, levensschets; Catharina in de kunst, cataloog, inventaris, L.J. van Nueten and R. van Wassenhove (eds.) (Louvain: Dominican Convent, 1980).
- Bianchi, Lidia, and Diega Giunta, Iconografia di Santa Caterina da Siena (Rome 1988).
- catalogue Catherine de Sienne, André Vauchez and Jean Chiffoleau (eds.) (Avignon: Palais des Papes, 1992).
- catalogue Catharina : testi ed immagini di S. Catarina di Siena nelle raccolte casanatensi, Giuliana Cavallini and Angela Adriana Cavarra (eds.) (Milan 1998) - Rome, Biblioteca Casanatense.
Introduction
Hagiography
Bibliography
Editions
Translations
Mysticism
Links
Mysticism - a selection
- Happold, F.C., Mysticism. A study and an anthology (Harmondsworth 1963; many reprints).
- Mommaers, Paul, Wat is mystiek? (Nimwegue 1977).
- Staal, Frits, Exploring mysticism. A methodological essay (Berkeley,
Ca., etc., 1975).
- Ruh, Kurt, Geschichte der abendländischen Mystik (4 vol.,
Munich 1990-1999).
- McGinn, Bernard, The foundations of mysticism (New York 1994-).
- Dinzelbacher, Peter, Christliche Mystik im Abendland : ihre Geschichte von den Anfängen bis zum Ende des Mittelalters (Paderborn 1994).
- Waaijman, C.J., Spirituality : forms, foundations, methods, John
Vriend (transl.) (Louvain 2002) - first edition in
Dutch : Spiritualiteit : vormen, grondslagen, methoden (2000),
discusses spirituality as the main framework for mysticism.
- Baers, Joris et alii (red.), Encyclopedie van de mystiek
:fundamenten, tradities, perspectieven (Kampen-Tielt 2003).
Introduction
Hagiography
Bibliography
Editions
Translations
Studies
Links
Links
Introduction
Hagiography
Bibliography
Editions
Translations
Studies
Mysticism
ov
- July 16, 2006 / November 2014