Power And Sainthood

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Birgitta of Sweden (1302/3-1373) was a mother, visionary, counsellor to a king, inventor of her own rule, saint, and one of the best known medieval women in history. As a wife and a mother of eight children, the Swedish noble lady Birgitta was an atypical candidate for sanctity. Yet, only 18 years after her death, in 1391, she was declared a saint by the Pope and became a role model for many late medieval mothers and widows.

Power and Sainthood investigates how Birgitta went about establishing her power and authority. Palvi Salmesvuori argues that the crucial factor was her successful performance of her sanctity. Review: Focused and meticulously researched, Power and Sainthood addresses the idea of holiness in action as St.

Birgitta began to assert her authority in the formative years of her life as a mystic and visionary. Salmesvuori gives a grounded view of what Birgitta was like as both a woman and human being, but - very wisely - stops short of making any generalized character judgments ... A truly interesting take on Birgitta. - Bridget Morris, Independent Scholar, York, UK Salmesvuori succeeds in showing how this remarkable woman from the northern fringe of Europe was able to establish a personal authority that made princes, priests, and popes listen to her.

After reading this book, few will be inclined anymore to say that Birgitta was guided by her father confessors. It was clearly the other way around. - Stephan Borgehammar, Professor of Practical Theology, Lund University, Sweden Salmesvuori offers fresh insights into how Birgitta established her reputation as a living saint in mid-fourteenth century Sweden.

Carefully attending to historical chronology, Salmesvuori provides new interpretations of Birgitta's early revelations in light of key theories about the public performance of religious power. She cogently demonstrates that Birgitta exercised spiritual authority through repeated negotiations with her audience and attracted followers even earlier than scholars usually recognize.

This study is a valuable contribution to our understanding of gender, power, and sanctity in the later Middle Ages. - Claire L. Sahlin, Professor of Women's Studies, Texas Woman's University, USA