Miraculous Womb, Radiant Flesh: Divine images in Hildegard's O virga ac diadema

Abstract

Hildegard's song for the Virgin are remarkable for the fact that they focus almost exclusively on the Virgin's role as royal consort, with very little about Mary, the human person, first century woman of courage and faith, and mother of Jesus of Nazareth. Hildegard's Virgin is more than human, with her miraculous womb and radiant flesh. In this paper I investigate the Divine images in Hildegard's song, "O virga ac diadema." Using Elizabeth Johnson's work, I propose that the attributes of the Virgin as exemplified in this song more appropriately belong to the Divine. By  restoring the Virgin's attributes of life-giving mother, full of divine compassion and mercy, exercising the power of re-creating energy, and immanent in all creation, to the Divine, the dominant images of God as triumphant warrior, distant King and stern judge are decentred. Looking at Hildegard's songs through this lens it is clear that the Virgin she rhapsodies about in poetry and music is really an aspect of the Divine.