The Case Of Medieval Mystic Christina Of Mirabilis

Life or death: what does one choose? Most people would agree to remain alive without much hesitation. In the case of Medieval Mystic Christina of Mirabilis, Christina also makes the hasty decision to continue living on Earth hoping to appease God even though her decision ultimately leads Christina to push her body to terrifying limits. In Elizabeth Alvilda Petroff’s anthology titled Medieval Women’s Visionary Literature, Thomas de Cantimprà ©Ã¢â‚¬â„¢s The Life of Christina of St. Trond, Called Christina Mirabilis depicts Christina’s miraculous resurrection from the dead during her funeral procession at church. Before returning to her body on Earth, Christina is given the ultimate choice of her fate. De Cantimpre describes, â€Å"either [Christina] [will] remain with [God] now, or return to [her] body and suffer the punishments of an immortal soul in a mortal body which, however, will remain unharmed. Thus by the pains [she] will suffer, [she] will deliver all t hose souls in purgatory whom [she] pitied† (184-185). Striving to please God, Christina fully agrees to his terrifying terms of physically suffering on Earth so male sinners in hell may be forgiven. God’s terms for Christina Mirabilis to be able to continue living on Earth as a human after she is resurrected come across as highly discriminatory for the way Christina must take on the sufferings of male sinners even though she does not commit these sins herself, learn to endure her â€Å"gift† of mystical smells, which intensities and