Agnes Blannbekin
Encyclopedia
Agnes Blannbekin also referred to as Saint Agnes Blannbekin or the Venerable Agnes Blannbekin, was an Austria
n Beguine and Christian mystic
. Her controversial revelations were compiled by her confessor
Ermenrich and later published in 1731 as Venerabilis Agnetis Blannbekin. The copies were confiscated by the Society of Jesus
, and only two manuscripts survived. One was destroyed in a fire at the Straßburg
library in 1870. The surviving manuscript, currently owned by a Cistercian convent in Zwettl
, Austria, was not released until the 20th century. Although Blannbekin is best remembered today for her visions, during her life she was known for her ministry to the urban population
.
, Austria
to a peasant family. Her surname, which is also sometimes spelled Blanbakin, comes from the name of this village (i.e., Plambachen). At the age of seven or eight, Blannbekin began secretly giving her meals to the poor. By the age of ten or eleven, she began craving the sacramental bread
. In around 1260, she joined the Third Order of Saint Francis in Vienna
; for the rest of her life she refused to eat meat, claiming the body of Christ was enough meat for her.
During services and prayers Blannbekin began to hear voices which explained spiritual mysteries. Her visions were transcribed by the Franciscan
monk Ermenrich, her confessor
. Although not all of her revelations were considered obscene, they included visions of monks, woman, and Jesus
naked. In one vision, she claimed to have felt the foreskin of Jesus
in her mouth:
Blannbekin described herself as continually beset with visions throughout the day, which she described as imber lacrimarum, or a "rain of tears" from God. Many of these visions involved bright lights, and in one she described being "so filled with light within that she could gaze at herself." As with the foreskin occasion, many of her visions involved touch, such as being kissed on the cheeks by the Lamb of God
. While eating the Eucharist
, Blannbekin claimed to taste Christ; on one occasion, a sexually immoral priest could not find his Eucharist, which Blannbekin claimed to have felt in her own mouth. Similarly, she described drinking a "refreshing spiritual drink" from the spear wound of Jesus. Supposed visitations from Jesus himself caused an orgastic
reaction: "Agnes herself was filled with an excitement in her chest every time that God visited her that was so intense that it went through her body and that it burned as a result, not in a painful but in a most pleasurable manner."
Blannbekin died in Vienna
, Austria on March 1, 1315 in her convent.
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
n Beguine and Christian mystic
Christian mysticism
Christian mysticism refers to the development of mystical practices and theory within Christianity. It has often been connected to mystical theology, especially in the Catholic and Eastern Orthodox traditions...
. Her controversial revelations were compiled by her confessor
Confession
This article is for the religious practice of confessing one's sins.Confession is the acknowledgment of sin or wrongs...
Ermenrich and later published in 1731 as Venerabilis Agnetis Blannbekin. The copies were confiscated by the Society of Jesus
Society of Jesus
The Society of Jesus is a Catholic male religious order that follows the teachings of the Catholic Church. The members are called Jesuits, and are also known colloquially as "God's Army" and as "The Company," these being references to founder Ignatius of Loyola's military background and a...
, and only two manuscripts survived. One was destroyed in a fire at the Straßburg
Straßburg, Austria
Straßburg is a town in the district of Sankt Veit an der Glan in Carinthia, Austria.-Location:The municipality lies in Northern Carinthia in the Gurk Valley among the Nock Mountains and the Gurk.-Municipal arrangement:...
library in 1870. The surviving manuscript, currently owned by a Cistercian convent in Zwettl
Zwettl
Zwettl is a town and district capital in Lower Austria. It is chiefly known as the location of Zwettl Abbey, first mentioned in October 1139.- Geography :...
, Austria, was not released until the 20th century. Although Blannbekin is best remembered today for her visions, during her life she was known for her ministry to the urban population
Common People
"Common People" is a song by English alternative rock band Pulp. It was released as a single in 1995, reaching number two on the UK singles chart. It also appears on the band's 1995 album Different Class. The song is about those who were perceived by the songwriter as wanting to be "like common...
.
Life
Blannbekin was born in PlambachHofstetten-Grünau
Hofstetten-Grünau is a town in the district of Sankt Pölten-Land in the Austrian state of Lower Austria. Christian mystic Agnes Blannbekin was born in the village of Plambach, which is now part of Hofstetten-Grünau....
, Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
to a peasant family. Her surname, which is also sometimes spelled Blanbakin, comes from the name of this village (i.e., Plambachen). At the age of seven or eight, Blannbekin began secretly giving her meals to the poor. By the age of ten or eleven, she began craving the sacramental bread
Sacramental bread
Sacramental bread, sometimes called the lamb, altar bread, host or simply Communion bread, is the bread which is used in the Christian ritual of the Eucharist.-Eastern Catholic and Orthodox:...
. In around 1260, she joined the Third Order of Saint Francis in Vienna
Vienna
Vienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...
; for the rest of her life she refused to eat meat, claiming the body of Christ was enough meat for her.
During services and prayers Blannbekin began to hear voices which explained spiritual mysteries. Her visions were transcribed by the Franciscan
Franciscan
Most Franciscans are members of Roman Catholic religious orders founded by Saint Francis of Assisi. Besides Roman Catholic communities, there are also Old Catholic, Anglican, Lutheran, ecumenical and Non-denominational Franciscan communities....
monk Ermenrich, her confessor
Confession
This article is for the religious practice of confessing one's sins.Confession is the acknowledgment of sin or wrongs...
. Although not all of her revelations were considered obscene, they included visions of monks, woman, and Jesus
Jesus
Jesus of Nazareth , commonly referred to as Jesus Christ or simply as Jesus or Christ, is the central figure of Christianity...
naked. In one vision, she claimed to have felt the foreskin of Jesus
Holy Prepuce
The Holy Prepuce, or Holy Foreskin is one of several relics attributed to Jesus, a product of the circumcision of Jesus....
in her mouth:
Crying and with compassion, she began to think about the foreskin of Christ, where it may be located [after the Resurrection]. And behold, soon she felt with the greatest sweetness on her tongue a little piece of skin alike the skin in an egg, which she swallowed. After she had swallowed it, she again felt the little skin on her tongue with sweetness as before, and again she swallowed it. And this happened to her about a hundred times. And when she felt it so frequently, she was tempted to touch it with her finger. And when she wanted to do so, that little skin went down her throat on its own. And it was told to her that the foreskin was resurrected with the Lord on the day of resurrection. And so great was the sweetness of tasting that little skin that she felt in all [her] limbs and parts of the limbs a sweet transformation.
Blannbekin described herself as continually beset with visions throughout the day, which she described as imber lacrimarum, or a "rain of tears" from God. Many of these visions involved bright lights, and in one she described being "so filled with light within that she could gaze at herself." As with the foreskin occasion, many of her visions involved touch, such as being kissed on the cheeks by the Lamb of God
Lamb of God
The title Lamb of God appears in the Gospel of John, with the exclamation of John the Baptist: "Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world" in John 1:29 when he sees Jesus....
. While eating the Eucharist
Eucharist
The Eucharist , also called Holy Communion, the Sacrament of the Altar, the Blessed Sacrament, the Lord's Supper, and other names, is a Christian sacrament or ordinance...
, Blannbekin claimed to taste Christ; on one occasion, a sexually immoral priest could not find his Eucharist, which Blannbekin claimed to have felt in her own mouth. Similarly, she described drinking a "refreshing spiritual drink" from the spear wound of Jesus. Supposed visitations from Jesus himself caused an orgastic
Orgasm
Orgasm is the peak of the plateau phase of the sexual response cycle, characterized by an intense sensation of pleasure...
reaction: "Agnes herself was filled with an excitement in her chest every time that God visited her that was so intense that it went through her body and that it burned as a result, not in a painful but in a most pleasurable manner."
Blannbekin died in Vienna
Vienna
Vienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...
, Austria on March 1, 1315 in her convent.