Hildegard of Bingen

The singing NUN whose love of nature and flair for writing helped improve medieval medicine

Religious calling

Born in 1098 to a devoutly religious German family, Hildegard joined a Benedictine nunnery as a young girl, and later established her own CONVENT. Her accomplishments in writing, poetry, and song made Hildegard one of the most important female figures of the medieval church.

Medieval healthcare

Hildegard wrote about botany, geology, healthcare, and science. Her books offered advice on common medical problems together with a catalogue of alternative treatments and herbal remedies. Her work on BLOOD CIRCULATION AND MENTAL ILLNESS were considered advanced for the time. In 2012, Pope Benedict XVI formally recognized Hildegard as a saint. Her special feast day is celebrated annually on 17 September.

Hildegard identified many plants with medicinal qualities, such as tansy flowers. Hildegard observed nature and wrote about the medicinal uses of plants, trees, and animals in her books. How she changed…

the world