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Saint Elisabeth of Schönau
Image: Österreichische Nationalbibliothek - Austrian National Library · CC0 · Wikimedia Commons

Saint Elisabeth of Schönau

Benedictine nun of Schönau whose visions were recorded by her brother

Rank
Saint
Kind
Virgin, Mystic, Religious
Life
d. 1164
Era
12th century
Feast
18 June
Countries
Germany
Germany

Life story

Elisabeth was born around 1129 and lived at Schönau abbey in the Rhine region. She made her Benedictine profession in 1147 and became head of the nuns in 1157. Some sources give her death as 1164 and others as 1165; the date is given as 18 June.

From 1152 she had ecstasies and visions, usually on Sundays and holy days, during Mass, the Divine Office, or after hearing the lives of saints. She recorded them on wax tablets. Her brother Ekbert, a cleric in Bonn, wrote them down, arranged them and published them under her name. The Catholic Encyclopedia remarks that the first book of her Visions sounds more like her own voice, while the other two show more of Ekbert's theological style.

Her works include the Liber viarum Dei, which appears to imitate Hildegard of Bingen's Scivias, the Liber revelationum on the Cologne relics of the Ursula martyrs, and a vision text on the resurrection of the Virgin Mary. Hildegard was a close friend and frequent visitor. She also wrote unsolicited letters to powerful figures, including the archbishop of Trier. The church never formally ruled on the visions; Trithemius thought them genuine, while Amort judged them imagination or diabolical illusion. She was never canonised, but her name was entered in the Roman Martyrology in 1584.

Works and witness

  • Made her profession in 1147 and led the Schönau nuns from 1157
  • Had visions from 1152, recorded and published by her brother Ekbert
  • Wrote the Liber viarum Dei and the Liber revelationum on the Cologne Ursula relics
  • Close friend of Hildegard of Bingen
  • Named in the Roman Martyrology from 1584

Saints from the same country

Saint Ambrose, Saint Hildegard of Bingen, Saint Teresa Benedicta of the Cross (Edith Stein), Saint Bruno of Cologne

References

  • Catholic Encyclopedia (New Advent), 'St. Elizabeth of Schonau', 1909
  • Catholic Encyclopedia (New Advent), 'Eckebert'
  • Catholic Encyclopedia (New Advent), 'Saint Hildegard'

Written by Anawim from documented history. Some details about ancient saints rest on tradition and are marked as such.