Professor Edith Hall

Thanks so much, Greg. It's wonderful to be speaking with you today and to meet Sophie.

Benedetta was born on January 20th, 1590 on the night of St. Sebastian in a small mountain village called Volano in Tuscany in Italy. She was the only child of Medea and Giuliana Carlini. Her father was the third richest man in Volano. So it was a well-off family.

Benedetta was born on January 20th, 1590 on the night of St. Sebastian in a small mountain village called Volano in Tuscany in Italy. She was the only child of Medea and Giuliana Carlini. Her father was the third richest man in Volano. So it was a well-off family.

Her mother had a very difficult labour and at one point it seemed like both mother and child would die. So her father, who was both rich and devout, prayed to God desperately that they lived and in gratitude Benedetta was named blessed and her father dedicated her to God and promised that she would become a nun.

Her mother had a very difficult labour and at one point it seemed like both mother and child would die. So her father, who was both rich and devout, prayed to God desperately that they lived and in gratitude Benedetta was named blessed and her father dedicated her to God and promised that she would become a nun.

I mean, I think she's pretty non-adjacent right from the start. By the time she was five years old, she was reciting the litany, saying the rosary on her own. She also experienced miracles as a young girl. She had a nightingale that followed her around, would sing on command, would occasionally sing the lauds with her.

I mean, I think she's pretty non-adjacent right from the start. By the time she was five years old, she was reciting the litany, saying the rosary on her own. She also experienced miracles as a young girl. She had a nightingale that followed her around, would sing on command, would occasionally sing the lauds with her.

They're all over medieval literature, but, you know, not in real life anymore.

They're all over medieval literature, but, you know, not in real life anymore.

There was a mysterious black dog that showed up and growled and slobbered and tried to drag her off. And, you know, eventually it just sort of disappeared when she prayed, so... That's obviously a demonic manifestation. Okay, good.

There was a mysterious black dog that showed up and growled and slobbered and tried to drag her off. And, you know, eventually it just sort of disappeared when she prayed, so... That's obviously a demonic manifestation. Okay, good.

She was born in Villano, which is a small mountain village. And when it came time for her to join a convent, her father basically just took her down the hill to the next biggest city, which is Pesce. And in Pesce, there were three major convents. These convents were filled to the brim. In fact, they were overflowing. And the community that she joined is something called the Theatines.

She was born in Villano, which is a small mountain village. And when it came time for her to join a convent, her father basically just took her down the hill to the next biggest city, which is Pesce. And in Pesce, there were three major convents. These convents were filled to the brim. In fact, they were overflowing. And the community that she joined is something called the Theatines.

The Theatines were not actually an official order as of yet. When Benedetta joins, they are still an unofficial community, although they had been sanctioned by the church. A woman named Piera Pagni founded this community in 1590, the year that Benedetta was born. And she had applied to the Pope for permission to make this a formal community.

The Theatines were not actually an official order as of yet. When Benedetta joins, they are still an unofficial community, although they had been sanctioned by the church. A woman named Piera Pagni founded this community in 1590, the year that Benedetta was born. And she had applied to the Pope for permission to make this a formal community.

Is that fair? It could be pretty hard, especially if you're one of, a lot of orders had something called lay sisters. They're the uneducated ones who did all the hard work, the cooking and the cleaning. Choir sisters were the ones who were educated and spent their time making silk and sewing. and praying and singing.

Is that fair? It could be pretty hard, especially if you're one of, a lot of orders had something called lay sisters. They're the uneducated ones who did all the hard work, the cooking and the cleaning. Choir sisters were the ones who were educated and spent their time making silk and sewing. and praying and singing.

Well, you know, we don't really know a lot about her between the ages of nine and 23. Presumably she's doing this conventional thing, except that we have one sort of indication that she is still special. Right away, when she first got to the convent at age nine, she had gone into the convent chapel and was praying in front of

Well, you know, we don't really know a lot about her between the ages of nine and 23. Presumably she's doing this conventional thing, except that we have one sort of indication that she is still special. Right away, when she first got to the convent at age nine, she had gone into the convent chapel and was praying in front of

the Theatine's Madonna statue, when the Blessed Virgin Mary sort of manifested within this statue and leaned forward to kiss Benedetta. But she sort of panicked, freaked out, and then the statue fell as she ran off. But she didn't tell anybody about the almost kiss.