Diemoth
Encyclopedia
Diemoth (born about 1060; died 30 March, probably in 1130) was the name of a recluse
at Wessobrunn Abbey
in Upper Bavaria
, Germany
. ("Diemoth" is the Middle High German
word for "humility" or "modesty").
n or Swabia
n family, and while still a child entered the Benedictine nunnery connected with the Benedictine monastery of Wessobrunn
. This is almost certainly not true, since the Wessobrunn monastery was male-only until at least AD 1100. The monks would not have taken it upon themselves to educate one single young girl. Thus it is much more likely that Diemoth entered the Wessobrunn monastery as an adult. Her proficient handwriting shows evidence of professional training, so that it is likely Diemoth did not come to Wessobrunn until after an active career as a professional scribe. Her knowledge of Latin indicates that she was educated at an ecclesiastical institute, probably a double monastery elsewhere in Germany.
Diemoth had herself enclosed in a cell adjoining the church, where she spent the remainder of her life in prayer and in transcribing valuable books. On account of her exceptionally beautiful handwriting she was styled "the beautiful scribe". She copied about forty-five volumes, of which the most important are: the Bible
; the Moralia
and other works of Saint Gregory the Great; seven works of Saint Augustine
; four of Saint Jerome
; two of Origen
; and about fifteen liturgical works.
Diemoth was a great friend of the Blessed Herkula with whom she exchanged numerous letters while the latter was a recluse at the neighbouring monastery of Epfach. The letters were long preserved at the monastery of Bernried
where Herluka spent the last years of her life, but they unhappily fell prey to the ravages of the forces of Sweden
during the Thirty Years War. A few of Diemoth's manuscripts are still preserved at the Bayerische Staatsbibliothek in Munich
, where they were taken after the secularisation of Wessobrunn in 1803.
Diemoth was buried in the basilica of Our Lady at Wessobrunn, beside the bodies of Abbot Thiento and his six companions, who suffered martyrdom at the hands of the Hungarians in 955. In 1709 her remains were transferred to the abbey church of St. Peter. She is sometimes referred to as "Blessed," though she has never received public veneration and was never formally beatified.
Recluse
A recluse is a person who lives in voluntary seclusion from the public and society, often close to nature. The word is from the Latin recludere, which means "shut up" or "sequester." There are many potential reasons for becoming a recluse: a personal philosophy that rejects consumer society; a...
at Wessobrunn Abbey
Wessobrunn Abbey
Wessobrunn Abbey was a Benedictine monastery near Weilheim in Bavaria, Germany.It is celebrated as the home of the famous Wessobrunn Prayer and also of a Baroque school of stucco workers and plasterers in the 18th century....
in Upper Bavaria
Upper Bavaria
Upper Bavaria is one of the seven administrative regions of Bavaria, Germany.- Geography :Upper Bavaria is located in the southern portion of Bavaria, and is centered around the city of Munich. It is subdivided into four regions : Ingolstadt, Munich, Bayerisches Oberland , and Südostoberbayern...
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
. ("Diemoth" is the Middle High German
Middle High German
Middle High German , abbreviated MHG , is the term used for the period in the history of the German language between 1050 and 1350. It is preceded by Old High German and followed by Early New High German...
word for "humility" or "modesty").
Life and works
Little is known about Diemoth's private life. Most of our information is based on a sixteenth-century biographer. Much of this must be considered embellished legend rather than fact. According to the traditional version, she was born of a noble BavariaBavaria
Bavaria, formally the Free State of Bavaria is a state of Germany, located in the southeast of Germany. With an area of , it is the largest state by area, forming almost 20% of the total land area of Germany...
n or Swabia
Swabia
Swabia is a cultural, historic and linguistic region in southwestern Germany.-Geography:Like many cultural regions of Europe, Swabia's borders are not clearly defined...
n family, and while still a child entered the Benedictine nunnery connected with the Benedictine monastery of Wessobrunn
Wessobrunn
Wessobrunn is a municipality in the district of Weilheim-Schongau in Bavaria in Germany.-Paterzell airfield:Paterzell airfield is located in Wessobrunn. The local aeroclub Luftsportverein Weilheim-Peißenberg competes in glider aerobatics. The German National Champion in 2006, Markus Feyerabend...
. This is almost certainly not true, since the Wessobrunn monastery was male-only until at least AD 1100. The monks would not have taken it upon themselves to educate one single young girl. Thus it is much more likely that Diemoth entered the Wessobrunn monastery as an adult. Her proficient handwriting shows evidence of professional training, so that it is likely Diemoth did not come to Wessobrunn until after an active career as a professional scribe. Her knowledge of Latin indicates that she was educated at an ecclesiastical institute, probably a double monastery elsewhere in Germany.
Diemoth had herself enclosed in a cell adjoining the church, where she spent the remainder of her life in prayer and in transcribing valuable books. On account of her exceptionally beautiful handwriting she was styled "the beautiful scribe". She copied about forty-five volumes, of which the most important are: the Bible
Bible
The Bible refers to any one of the collections of the primary religious texts of Judaism and Christianity. There is no common version of the Bible, as the individual books , their contents and their order vary among denominations...
; the Moralia
Moralia
The Moralia of the 1st-century Greek scholar Plutarch of Chaeronea is an eclectic collection of 78 essays and transcribed speeches. They give an insight into Roman and Greek life, but often are also fascinating timeless observations in their own right...
and other works of Saint Gregory the Great; seven works of Saint Augustine
Augustine of Hippo
Augustine of Hippo , also known as Augustine, St. Augustine, St. Austin, St. Augoustinos, Blessed Augustine, or St. Augustine the Blessed, was Bishop of Hippo Regius . He was a Latin-speaking philosopher and theologian who lived in the Roman Africa Province...
; four of Saint Jerome
Saint Jerome
Saint Jerome is a Christian church father, best known for translating the Bible into Latin.Saint Jerome may also refer to:*Jerome of Pavia , Bishop of Pavia...
; two of Origen
Origen
Origen , or Origen Adamantius, 184/5–253/4, was an early Christian Alexandrian scholar and theologian, and one of the most distinguished writers of the early Church. As early as the fourth century, his orthodoxy was suspect, in part because he believed in the pre-existence of souls...
; and about fifteen liturgical works.
Diemoth was a great friend of the Blessed Herkula with whom she exchanged numerous letters while the latter was a recluse at the neighbouring monastery of Epfach. The letters were long preserved at the monastery of Bernried
Bernried
Bernried is a municipality in the district of Deggendorf in Bavaria in Germany....
where Herluka spent the last years of her life, but they unhappily fell prey to the ravages of the forces of Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
during the Thirty Years War. A few of Diemoth's manuscripts are still preserved at the Bayerische Staatsbibliothek in Munich
Munich
Munich The city's motto is "" . Before 2006, it was "Weltstadt mit Herz" . Its native name, , is derived from the Old High German Munichen, meaning "by the monks' place". The city's name derives from the monks of the Benedictine order who founded the city; hence the monk depicted on the city's coat...
, where they were taken after the secularisation of Wessobrunn in 1803.
Diemoth was buried in the basilica of Our Lady at Wessobrunn, beside the bodies of Abbot Thiento and his six companions, who suffered martyrdom at the hands of the Hungarians in 955. In 1709 her remains were transferred to the abbey church of St. Peter. She is sometimes referred to as "Blessed," though she has never received public veneration and was never formally beatified.