Sainthood of Hildegard: Patron Saint of Creativity

Saint Hildegard of Bingen is often considered to be the patron saint of creativity. Hildegard was a 12th-century German abbess, artist, composer, healer, and visionary who is known for her contributions to theology, medicine, art, history, and music.

Hildegard von Bingen is considered to be a patron saint of creativity because of her many creative endeavors and her ability to inspire and encourage others to tap into their own creative potential. Hildegard’s creative works, which include writings, music, and art, continue to be celebrated and admired by people of all ages and from all walks of life.

patron saint of creativity
Patron Saint of Creativity

The Unruly Mystic

The filmmaker Michael M. Conti found himself referring to Saint Hildegard as the patron saint of creativity when he began production.  St. Hildegard of Bingen evokes a calling by tapping the sweet spot of creativity that we yearn to access and is spiritual in nature.  Hildegard is venerated for her lasting impact on theologians, artists, musicians, doctors, and teachers.  It was a theme he explored closely “The Unruly Mystic: Saint Hildegard.”

Conti is often asked why he made a documentary about St. Hildegard of Bingen. The film isn’t a religious, historical documentary but a prescriptive account of how one woman who remains widely unknown (although recently canonized and made a doctor of the church by the Vatican in 2013) could have a profound impact on theologians, artists, musicians, and educators.

Birthing Vision

Conti embarked on that first pilgrimage to the Rhineland in early 2013.  He went on a 10-day retreat, billed as a Birthing Vision and coinciding with the spring equinox. It was an opportunity to immerse into the Light and Greening Power of St. Hildegard.  The result of that retreat created the initial spark of The Unruly Mystic film, a prescriptive documentary where he reaffirm his life’s work as a filmmaker and from when he fell in love with the 12th century saint.

It is a journey that has taken him to Germany more than five times, providing him with the opportunity to meet artists, writers, musicians, theologians, and doctors worldwide who have had their lives changed by Saint Hildegard.

Michael Conti of The Unruly Mystic with Sister Hiltrud Gutjahr OSB, Dr, Wighard Strehlow at Hildegard Conference 2014 (left to right)
Michael M. Conti of The Unruly Mystic with Sister Hiltrud Gutjahr OSB, Dr, Wighard Strehlow at Hildegard Congress 2014 (left to right)

Interviews

Included in the film are interviews with Benedictine Sr. Lydia from the Abbey of St. Hildegard, Germany; Professor Beverly Mayne Kienzle at the Harvard Divinity School; Linn Maxwell, a world-class mezzo soprano on her one-woman Hildegard show, The Living Light; Dr. Wighard Strehlow’s healing work at the Hildegard Center in Allensbach, Germany; and American Episcopal priest and theologian Matthew Fox.

Saint Hildegard of Bingen evokes a calling. It has been an amazing birthing process from when he first took the pilgrimage and to the film’s birth.  It has also been a separate journey in screening and promoting the film’s message to international audiences.

Matthew Fox Quote

“This film presents a deservedly dynamic and alive portrait of this amazing pioneer and renaissance woman, Hildegard of Bingen, as it zeroes in especially on her powers of healing through her music and her dietary teachings.  It presents a diverse mix of contemporary persons, women and men, who have been affected by her many works so imbued with spirit in search of wisdom.  An excellent documentary, full of Hildegard’s spirit!”

Bearing Witness
– Matthew Fox, author of “Hildegard of Bingen, a Saint for Our Times: Unleashing Her Power in the 21st Century” and “Illuminations of Hildegard of Bingen” and “Hildegard of Bingen’s Book of Divine Works with Letters and Songs.”

As he witnessed how St. Hildegard inspires people during these challenging times, like COVID, he was reminded of his own dark moment as a 22- year-old in Barcelona in 1983.  It was at that moment he decided to pursue a life of creativity that he continues to enjoy as a filmmaker.  He didn’t realize then, but St. Hildegard was already within him.  He rediscovered her as a source of his inspiration while conducting interviews and walking in the Hildegard Way during his 2019 visit to her homeland which is now the subject of a series of short films called Hildegard Speaks.

St. Hildegard is indeed an unruly mystic. Her story invites us to embrace the connection between God, nature, and art. Her story is of a powerful muse who invites us to create magic in our lives where the ordinary touches the divine.  She has helped him connect with his own spirituality and creativity.  How about you? ♥

Are you an Unruly Mystic?

Patron Saint of Creativity
Insert yourself here as an unruly mystic.

Patron Saint of Creativity

It is his wish to inspire audiences on their path of creativity and meaning through the story of this unique mystical figure.  At the end of the film, Michael credits inspiration from the Patron Saint of Creativity.