Revelationes

Description

The Revelations of St. Birgitta were written down between the years 1344 and 1373. Book I as well as book V (Liber quaestionum) were compiled before Birgitta left for Rome in 1349. Fragments in Old Swedish suggest that at least parts of the revelations were penned by Birgitta herself. The larger part of the work, however, was written down in Latin by Petrus of Alvastra, Petrus of Skänninge and Alfonso of Jaén, either based on the Old Swedish originals or on the recitation of Birgitta. Be that as it may, it is not impossible that some of the Latin might have been written directly by Birgitta. In preparation for the canonization process Alfonso of Jaén compiled an edition of all of Birgitta's works, including The Revelations, but it is likely that individual books were already in circulation. The first printed edition, prepared by Bartholomaeus Ghotan in Lübeck, dates to 1492.

The Revelations were widely spread during the 15^th and 16^th centuries, having particular influence on artistic representations of the nativity, described by St. Birgitta in great detail.

This edition of the first book of The Revelations is embedded from Litteraturbanken (Undhagen (ed.) 1978). Links to the other books are found below.

Author

Birgitta of Sweden

Manuscripts

Finland
- Helsinki, University Library, Codex Nordenskiöld, first part of the 15th century (Za).
  - ff. 16r–20v: Revelationes super regulam by St. Birgitta.
Italy
- Cremona, Biblioteca Governativa, 131, first half of the 15th century (I).
  - ff. 10r–48v: Rev. I (selection: 14:3–60:10).
  - ff. 48v–78r: Rev. II (selection).
  - ff. 78r–106r: Rev. III (selection).
  - ff. 106r–173v: Rev. IV (selection).
  - ff. 174r–181v: Rev. V (selection).
  - ff. 181v–220r: Rev. VI (selection).
  - ff. 220r–236v: Rev. VII (selection).
- Firenze, Biblioteca Nazionale Centrale, Conv. soppr. C. II. 1703, first half of the 15th century
  - Revelationes extravagantes by St. Birgitta.
- Genova, Biblioteca Universitaria, A. V.5, 15th century.
  - cc. 1r–36r: Rev. VII by St. Birgitta (ch. 1–58).
  - cc. 43r–122v: Rev. III by St. Birgitta.
- Milano, Biblioteca Ambrosiana, D 89 sup., 15th century (a).
  - ff. 7vb–57rb: Rev. I by St. Birgitta.
  - ff. 61ra–95va: Rev. II by St. Birgitta.
  - ff. 98rb–129ra: Rev. III by St. Birgitta.
- Milano, Biblioteca Nazionale Braidense, Lat. AD XIV 23, late 14th or early 15th century (Aa).
  - ff. 4rb–32vb: Rev. I by St. Birgitta. (With preceeding list of rubrics.)
  - ff. 32vb–55va: Rev. II by St. Birgitta. (With preceeding list of rubrics.)
  - ff. 55va–73ra: Rev. III by St. Birgitta. (With preceeding list of rubrics.)
  - ff. 73ra–128va: Rev. IV by St. Birgitta. (With preceeding list of rubrics.)
  - ff. 128vb–145ra: Rev. V by St. Birgitta. (With preceeding list of rubrics.)
  - ff. 147rb–194vb: Rev. VI by St. Birgitta. (With preceeding list of rubrics.)
  - ff. 194vb–211vb: Rev. VII by St. Birgitta. (With preceeding list of rubrics.)
  - ff. 218rb–248va: Rev. VIII by St. Birgitta. (With preceeding list of rubrics.)
- Napoli, Biblioteca Nazionale, VII D 46, second half of the 15th century (N).
  - ff. 17rb–44rb: Rev. I by St. Birgitta.
  - ff. 44rb–64ra: Rev. II by St. Birgitta.
  - ff. 64ra–78va: Rev. III by St. Birgitta.
  - ff. 78va–122vb: Rev. IV by St. Birgitta.
  - ff. 122vb–134vb: Rev. V by St. Birgitta.
  - ff. 134vb–170vb: Rev. VI by St. Birgitta.
  - ff. 171ra–184vb: Rev. VII by St. Birgitta (with a prologue present only in a few other manuscripts, such as New York, Pierpont Morgan Library, M. 498, where it is crossed out).
  - ff. 185rb–211vb: Rev. VIII by St. Birgitta.
- Palermo, Biblioteca centrale della Regione siciliana, IV G 2, late 14th century (P).
  - ff. 3va–25ra. Rev. I by St. Birgitta.
  - ff. 27ra–42ra: Rev. II by St. Birgitta.
  - ff. 43vb–57v: Rev. III by St. Birgitta.
  - ff. 61ra–97vb: Rev. IV by St. Birgitta.
  - ff. 99va–109vb: Rev. V by St. Birgitta.
  - ff. 113ra–141va: Rev. VI by St. Birgitta.
  - ff. 144ra–153ra: Rev. VII by St. Birgitta.
  - ff. 160ra–161rb: List of rubrics in Rev. VIII by St. Birgitta.
  - ff. 162ra–185ra: Rev. VIII by St. Birgitta. The text begins with an elaborate initial of Birgitta receiving the Regula Salvatoris and handing it over to a group of Birgittine nuns, dressed in the order's garb. The illustrator must therefore have been instructed in how their clothing should look.
- Pavia, Biblioteca Universitaria, Fondo Aldini 35, a. 1403.
  - Revelationes by Birgitta of Sweden.
- Roma, Biblioteca Casanatense, 1445, a. 1404.
  - cc. 2r–49r: Rev. V by St. Birgitta.
- Città del Vaticano, Biblioteca Apostolica Vaticana, Ottob. lat. 2698, late 17th century.
  - f. 143: Revelationes extravagantes 77 and 78.
- Città del Vaticano, Biblioteca Apostolica Vaticana, Reg.lat.2045, a. 1464 (i).
  - ff. 1ra–28ra: Rev. V by St. Birgitta.
  - ff. 28r–101v: Rev. VI by St. Birgitta.
  - ff. 101v–126r: Rev. VII by St. Birgitta.
  - ff. 138r–189v: Rev. VIII by St. Birgitta.
- Città del Vaticano, Biblioteca Apostolica Vaticana, Ross.491, I: late 14th or early 15th century, II: 15th century.
  - I. ff. 1r–94v: Rev. I–II by St. Birgitta.
- Città del Vaticano, Biblioteca Apostolica Vaticana, Urb.lat.104, 15th century (R).
  - ff. 1r–53v: Rev. I by St. Birgitta.
  - ff. 53v–101v: Rev. II by St. Birgitta.
  - ff. 101v–127v: Rev. III by St. Birgitta.
  - ff. 127v–238r: Rev. IV by St. Birgitta including a few Rev. extravagantes (see Hollman 1956, p. 51 f.).
- Città del Vaticano, Biblioteca Apostolica Vaticana, Vat.lat.3826, a. 1399 (r).
  - ff. 23r–48v: Rev. V by St. Birgitta.
  - ff. 49r–118r: Rev. VI by St. Birgitta.
  - ff. 119r–142r: Rev. VII by St. Birgitta.
  - ff. 156v–209v: Rev. VIII by St. Birgitta.
  - ff. 210r: Rev. extravagans 49 by St. Birgitta.
- Torino, Biblioteca Nazionale Universitaria, CLXVI e V I, first half of the 15th century, 304 ff.
  - Rev. I–VII by St. Birgitta.
  - Rev. VIII by St. Birgitta.
- Torino, Biblioteca Nazionale Universitaria, I.III.23, late 14th century (fragment).
  - I. ff. 1r–148r: Rev. I–IV by St. Birgitta.
  - I. f. 148r–148v: Rev. V by St. Birgitta (containing the book's beginning; the rest was destroyed).
  - II. ff. 161–?: Rev. VI and VII by St. Birgitta.
  - II. ff. 243r–277v: Rev. VIII (Liber celestis) by St. Birgitta.
- Venezia, Biblioteca Nazionale Marciana, Lat. III 117 (collocazione 2371), a. 1415 (V).
  - pp. 10b–72b: Rev. I by St. Birgitta.
  - pp. 76b–118a: Rev. II by St. Birgitta.
  - pp. 119a–255b: Rev. III by St. Birgitta.
  - pp. 256a–272a: Rev. IV by St. Birgitta.
  - pp. 296a–325a: Rev. V by St. Birgitta.
  - pp. 326a–424(?): Rev. VI by St. Birgitta.
  - pp. 425a–453b: Rev. VII by St. Birgitta.
  - pp. 471a–543b: Rev. VIII by St. Birgitta.
  - pp. 544: Rev. extravagans 49 by St. Birgitta.
- Venezia, Biblioteca Nazionale Marciana, Lat. III 225 (collocazione 2154), early 15th century (Sa).
  - ff. 2vb–28vb: Rev. I by St. Birgitta.
  - ff. 29ra–47vb: Rev. II by St. Birgitta.
  - ff. 48ra–62va: Rev. III by St. Birgitta.
  - ff. 62va–108ra: Rev. IV by St. Birgitta.
Poland
- Warszawa, Biblioteka Narodowa, 3310, late 14th century (Tb).
  - ff. 6v–58r: Rev. I by St. Birgitta (f. 35 damaged; 58r followed by two missing leaves).
  - ff. 60v–95v: Rev. II by St. Birgitta (f. 60 damaged).
  - ff. 98r–119v: Rev. III by St. Birgitta (fives leaves lost containing ch. 14:13–20:4).
  - ff. 124r–216v: Rev. IV by St. Birgitta (starting at ch. 2:3, "In alia vero statera" etc., preceeded by missing leaf).
  - ff. 225r–253v: Rev. V by St. Birgitta (followed by two missing leaves).
  - ff. 264r–347v: Rev. VI by St. Birgitta.
  - ff. 352–379v: Rev. VII by St. Birgitta (ends at ch. 30:11, followed by three missing leaves).
United States of America
- New York, Pierpont Morgan Library, M. 498, late 14th century (Y).
  - ff. 4rb–54vb: Rev. I by St. Birgitta.
  - ff. 57ra–90vb: Rev. II by St. Birgitta.
  - ff. 93ra–119va: Rev. III by St. Birgitta.
  - ff. 126(7)rb–206(86)vb: Rev. IV by St. Birgitta.
  - ff. 210(91)rb–232(113)rb: Rev. V by St. Birgitta.
  - ff. 240(121)ra–301(182)ra: Rev. VI by St. Birgitta.
  - ff. 304(3)ra–327(26)rb: Rev. VII by St. Birgitta.
  - ff. 344(43)ra–390(89)va: Rev. VIII by St. Birgitta.
- Philadelphia, The Free Library, Lewis E 240, 15th century (Ma).
  - ff. 1ra–25rb: Rev. V by St. Birgitta.
  - ff. 25rb–95vb: Rev. VI by St. Birgitta.
  - ff. 94vb–129va: Rev. VII by St. Birgitta.
  - ff. 129va–172vb: Rev. VIII by St. Birgitta.

Printed Books

La vedova Svecese cioe’ la vita di santa Brigida by Girolamo Alle, impr. Carlo Zenero. 1648. Bologna.
- pp. [236–237]: Prayer from Rev. IV, ch. LXXIIII.92 (Oratio deuotissima Sanctae Birgittae ad Deum in nomine vnius peccatoris facta).
Memoriale effigiatum librorum prophetiarum seu visionum B. Brigidae alias Birgittae, viduae stirpis regiae de regno Svetiae. 1556. Rome.
- Revelationes.
Onus mundi, alieque reuelationes quarti libri, impr. Eucharius Silber (Franck). 1485. Rome.
- pp. 57–80: Rev. IV, cap. 48, 49, 10, 17, 33, 76, 80.
Revelationes Sanctae Brigittae, ed. Consalvo Durante. 1606. Rome.
- pp. 1–98: Rev. I by St. Birgitta (with notes by Consalvo Durante).
- pp. 99–166: Rev. II by St. Birgitta (with notes by Consalvo Durante).
- pp. 167–226: Rev. III by St. Birgitta (with notes by Consalvo Durante).
- pp. 227–413: Rev. IV by St. Birgitta (with notes by Consalvo Durante).
- pp. 414–472: Rev. V by St. Birgitta (with notes by Consalvo Durante and prologue).
- pp. 473–620: Rev. VI by St. Birgitta (with notes by Consalvo Durante).
- pp. 621–676: Rev. VII by St. Birgitta (with notes by Consalvo Durante and preceeding compendium on the book’s chapters).
- pp. 693–750: Rev. VIII by St. Birgitta (with notes by Consalvo Durante and preceeding summary on the book’s chapters).
- pp. 802–851: Rev. extravagantes by St. Birgitta.
Revelationes Sanctae Brigittae, ed. Consalvo Durante. 1628. Rome.
- Revelationes.
Revelationes, ed. Olaus Magnus, impr. Franciscus de Ferrariis. 1557. Rome.
- Revelationes.

Edition

Sancta Birgitta. Revelaciones lib. I cum prologo magistri Mathie. 1978. Carl-Gustaf Undhagen (ed.). (SFSS, Ser. 2, Latinska skrifter VII:2.) Stockholm. Available at Litteraturbanken.

Sancta Birgitta. Revelaciones lib. II. 2001. Carl-Gustaf Undhagen† & Birger Bergh (ed.). Stockholm. Available at Litteraturbanken.

Sancta Birgitta. Revelaciones lib. III. 1998. Ann-Mari Jönsson (ed.). Stockholm. Available at Litteraturbanken.

Sancta Birgitta. Revelaciones lib. IV. 1992. Hans Aili (ed.). Stockholm. Available at Litteraturbanken.

Sancta Birgitta. Revelaciones lib. V. 1971. Birger Bergh (ed.). Uppsala. Available at Litteraturbanken.

Sancta Birgitta. Revelaciones lib. VI. 1991. Birger Bergh (ed.). Stockholm. Available at Litteraturbanken.

Sancta Birgitta. Revelaciones lib. VII. 1967. Birger Bergh (red.). (KVHAA & SFSS, Ser. 2, Latinska skrifter VII:5.) Uppsala. Available at Litteraturbanken.

Sancta Birgitta. Revelaciones lib. VIII. 2002. Hans Aili (ed.). Stockholm. Available at Litteraturbanken.

Sancta Birgitta. Revelaciones extravagantes. 1956. Lennart Hollman (ed.). Uppsala. Available at Litteraturbanken.

Literature

Aili, Hans. 1986. St. Birgitta and the text of the Revelationes: A survey of some influences traceable to translators and editors. In: M. Asztalos (ed.), The Editing of Theological and Philosophical Texts from the Middle Ages. Stockholm: Almqvist & Wiksell International, pp. 75–92

Klockars, Birgit. 1966. Birgitta och böckerna: en undersökning av den heliga Birgittas källor. Stockholm: Almqvist & Wiksell.

Wall painting of St. Birgitta as a pilgrim from Harg church in Uppland, Sweden. Photo: Lennart Karlsson, Statens Historiska Museer.

Revelationes

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