Julian of Norwich (1342-c.1416)
Image courtesy Wikimedia Commons
‘All shall be well, and all shall be well, and all manner of thing shall be well.’
I was reminded of these words, revealed to Julian of Norwich, and took some comfort in them. They seem to refer to the transitory nature of troubles and give hope for a better future.
During a serious illness, when she was around thirty years old and thought she was about to die, she received visions of Christ’s Passion. Soon after she recovered, she vowed to become an anchoress and wrote a short version of her experiences. Many years later, she recorded a longer account, subsequently known as the Long Text. Her ‘Revelations of Divine Love,’ are the earliest known works in the English language attributed to a woman.
Julian of Norwich, also referred to as Mother Julian, the Lady Julian, Dame Julian or Juliana of Norwich, lived her entire life in the city of Norwich, which in the 14th century was an important centre for both commerce and religion. It was second only to London in its importance as an agricultural and trading centre, and was also probably one of the most religious European cities, with its cathedral, friaries, priories, churches and anchorites’ cells.
As an anchorite (or anchoress) Julian of Norwich lived in permanent isolation in a cell attached to St Julian’s Church. The church, one of the oldest in Norwich, was named for St Julian, who lived hundreds of years before the Lady Julian. Attending to her physical needs were servants, among them, Sarah and Alice.
Anchorites removed themselves from secular life to live a profoundly spiritual life of prayer and intercession for others. They voluntarily agreed to live in permanent enclosures, which were often built against church walls. Although some allowed themselves some freedom of movement from cells to church and church grounds, others opted to be walled in. As they undertook the ascetic life, they underwent a consecration similar to a funeral ceremony, after which they were judged to be dead to the world, and took on the form of living saints.
Image courtesy Wikimedia Commons
The anchorholds were about twelve to fifteen feet square, with three windows. One window allowed light into the cell, one allowed servants to see to the needs of the occupant, delivering food and water and emptying the chamber pot, for example, and one, called the ‘squint’ or hagioscope, enabled the anchorite to view the church altar, and to receive communion. Anchorites were regarded as respected advisers and were consulted by local congregants for guidance in their spiritual lives.
In ‘Revelations of Divine Life’ Julian wrote, ‘From the time these things were first revealed I had often wanted to know what was our Lord’s meaning . . . Love was His meaning. Who showed it to you? Love. Why did He show it? For love. Hold onto this and you will know and understand love more and more.’
St Julian’s church was destroyed in an air raid in the Second World War, only the original walls remaining. It was rebuilt and a shrine to Julian erected on the original site of her cell. Julian was a common name for girls in the Mediaeval period and was the old form of the modern name, Gillian.
I have heard of these "anchorholds" before. In my way of thinking it seems quite tragic that people - men or women would waste away their lives in such places. If there were a "God", he or she or it would surely want us to live happily, laughing, watching the stars and feeling sunshine and raindrops upon our skin - not holed up in a bloody wall, depriving ourselves of normality.
ReplyDeleteAn interesting post. I've seen the figure before there and wondered who it was and the story behind it. Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteThis is fascinating but creepy and even horrific to me: almost walled up in a little space.
ReplyDeleteInteresting that Julian became Gillian, I had always thought Gillian came from the gilly-flowers common I think in Wales?
ReplyDeleteI have never heard of these Anchorites before and while I can imagine them living in similar fashion to nuns, I can't possibly entertain thoughts of being permanently shut away in one room.
I love Norwich but what made that city second only to London in importance? Its location tradewise? Its religious history? Its agricultural lands?
ReplyDeleteIt is funny to me that when you said 'anchoress', I immediately knew what you were talking about! It is interesting to me that she was given leave to write so prolifically, since some anchorites were not permitted to write at all, it being considered a distraction. Such a lonely life! It was also interesting to read that their 'funeral' was held as they entered the cell, since they were considered dead to the world.
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