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Life and Writings of Julian of Norwich

Julian of Norwich was an English theologian and anchoress of the Middle Ages, born in Norwich in 1343 and died after 1416.
She wrote Revelations of Divine Love, the earliest surviving English language works by a woman and the only surviving English language works by an anchoress.
Norwich, where Julian lived, was an important centre for commerce and had a vibrant religious life. During her lifetime, the city suffered the devastating effects of the Black Death, Peasants' Revolt, and the suppression of the Lollards.
Julian received a series of visions of the Passion of Christ in 1373, aged 30 and seriously ill, and wrote two versions of her experiences, the earlier one being completed soon after her recovery.
Julian lived in permanent seclusion as an anchoress in her cell, which was attached to St Julian's Church, Norwich.
Four wills are known in which sums were bequeathed to a Norwich anchoress named Julian, and an account by the celebrated mystic Margery Kempe exists which provides evidence of counsel Kempe was given by the anchoress.
Julian's family, education, or life before becoming an anchoress are not known; it is unclear whether her actual name was Julian.
While her writings were carefully preserved, the Reformation prevented their publication in print. The Long Text was first published in 1670 by the Benedictine monk Serenus de Cressy.
Julian wrote about her shewings shortly after she experienced them. Her original manuscript no longer exists, but a copy, now known as the Short Text, survived.
She may have been educated as a young girl by the Benedictine nuns of Carrow Abbey, and some commentators suggest that she was a young widowed mother and never a nun.
Julian was an anchoress from at least the 1390s, and her solitary life began after the completion of an onerous selection process.
Both the Long Text and Short Text of Julian's Revelations of Divine Love contain an account of each of her revelations. Her writings are unique as they are the earliest surviving English language works by a woman and the only surviving writings by an English anchoress.
Julian's writings were largely unknown until 1670, when they were published by Serenus de Cressy. Her writings were largely ignored until the beginning of the 20th century and are now considered important Christian mystic and theologian.The Life, Theology, and Legacy of Julian of Norwich
Julian of Norwich was a medieval English anchoress and mystic who lived in the 14th century.
She wrote Revelations of Divine Love, a book that contains 16 visions and a message of optimism based on God's love and protection.
Her theology was optimistic and spoke of God's omnibenevolence and love in terms of joy and compassion.
Julian equated divine love with motherly love and believed that God is both our mother and our father.
Her status as an anchoress may have prevented contemporary religious authorities from challenging her theology.
Julian is now recognized as one of England's most important mystics and the greatest English anchoress.
She is remembered in the Church of England with a Lesser Festival on 8 May, and the Episcopal Church and the Evangelical Lutheran Church in the United States also commemorate her on the same date.
Although not canonized in the Catholic Church, Julian is quoted in the Catechism of the Catholic Church.
The 20th- and 21st-century revival of interest in Julian has been associated with a renewed interest in Christian contemplation in the English-speaking world.
St Julian's Church, located off King Street in the south of Norwich city centre, holds regular services and was the site of an anchorite cell.
Julian's writings have been translated into numerous languages and have influenced literature, including T. S. Eliot's poem "Little Gidding" and Sydney Carter's song "All Shall Be Well."
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Julian's experiences as an anchorite were cited in advice for people around the world newly discovering self-isolation.