Awakening the Unruly Mystic Within: Navigating Life’s Depths with Saint Hildegard

Take a virtual pilgrimage! This first time, special ecumenical online pilgrimage** in available on YouTube for free. Created by pilgrim-filmmaker Michael M. Conti, who took the 85-mile “Hildegard Way” through the Nahe river region in Rhineland-Palatinate in Germany. It was an inspiration from Dr. Annette Esser, the founder of the Scivias Institute for Art and Spirituality. Dr. Esser speaks in character as “Hildegard” at 10 stations along the trail and gives a small glimpse into the many teachings of Saint Hildegard von Bingen.

Hildegard of Bingen reached a level of literary and artistic achieved by few men

A Benedictine nun, Saint Hildegard of Bingen (Born: 1098, Bermersheim vor der Höhe, Germany; Died: September 17, 1179, Bingen, Germany) founded two women’s monastic communities, wrote visionary treatises and multiple theological works, designed illustrations, interpreted the Bible, composed liturgical songs, and developed works on natural science and medicine. Educated in the monastery and instructed through visions, Hildegard reached a level of literary and artistic production that was achieved by few men in the Middle Ages. She was named a Doctor of the Church in 2012.

Virtual Pilgrimage with a Saint

For the 12-days of recordings, each day starts with the ringing of the bells from the Hildegard Haus in Fairport Harbor, Ohio, followed with a sermon by Rev. Dr. Shanon Sterringer.

The focus is spirituality and creativity as seen through Hildegard’s natural medicine, art, writing and music.

Hildegard Way was an inspiration from Dr. Annette Esser, the founder of the Scivias Institute for Art and Spirituality in Germany.

Learn from Saint Hildegard Speaks at one of the ten stations along the Hildegard Way in Germany.

• precious stones and the heavenly Jerusalem
• family and childhood
• visionary experience
• art of healing
• entrance into the Monastery of St. Disibod
• teacher Jutta of Sponheim
• the foundation of the Rupertsberg Women’s Monastery

After each Hildegard Way station video, an inspiring short talk on different themes of Hildegard’s life and theology was given by international Hildegard scholars and theologians, curated by Dr. Beverly Kienzle, recently retired from Harvard Divinity School.

Inspiring Short Academic Talks

• The likeness of the tree and the soul.
• Viriditas and the interconnectedness of living beings.
• Play of the Virtues and the journey of the soul.
• Hildegard and medieval German women healers
• The call to ministry—Hildegard’s vocation
• Viriditas and the interconnectedness of living beings. Its relevance to today.
• A reading from Gospel Homilies, Gospel Interpreter.
• Teaching Hildegard at a Protestant seminary.
• Hildegard and the Jews in the Rhineland; biblical interpretation.
• Hildegard’s fame around the world.
• Teaching Hildegard’s theology and how it is manifested in her liturgical song

** This pilgrimage was recorded and originally provided to 150 virtual pilgrims from September 5 until 17th, 2020.

The Unruly Mystic: Saint Hildegard

Michael M. Conti, the creator behind The Unruly Mystic: Saint Hildegard, journeyed on Hildegard Way as a pilgrim-filmmaker and is sharing these offerings to you. His diary entries about his journey with Saint Hildegard over the years are available for you to read on his website. Perhaps they will inspire you on your own journey with Hildegard.