MATILDA (MECHTILDIS), SAINT, OF HACKEBORN: Benedictine nun of Helfta (Hdpede), near Eisleben; b. 1241; d. about 1310. She be longed to the family of the lords of Hackeborn, and was the younger sister of Gertrude, who for forty years stood at the head of the monastery of Helfta. (see Gertrude). The revelations which bhe claimed to have here were written down by her sister nuns. The contents of these revelations are visions in which questions were put to Christ and Mary, to which answers ware received. For the most part they are questions of the inner life and are sometimes fine and profound. In keeping with the time the holy virgin is worshiped to excess, yet there is a remarkable passage (i. 18, pp. 54 sqq.) in which Mary with all creatures accuse Matilda, but Christ alone has mercy upon her and absolves her. Another passage (ii. 14, p. 148) has secured her a place in the Catalogue testium veretatis of Flacius (p. 923 of the editio princeps) because it is shown there. how all her imperfection is made perfect by the perfection of the Son of God. It is an undenied truth, though often practically obscured, that in the theology of the Western Church of the Middle Ages all salvation comes finally through the di vine mercy in Christ, and in mysticism this is often expressed in the most vivid manner; of this Matilda is a witness.

(S. M. Deutsch.)

Bibliography: Sanc&e Mechthildis liber apeeialis gratis', in Revelationes Gertrudianw ac Mechfhiidianw, cura . . . SoWmenaium O. S. M. monachorum, ii. 1-421, Paris, 1877; J. Müller, Leben and Ofenbarungen der heaigen Mechthild und der Schwester Mechthad, Regensburg, 1881; W. Preger, Geschichte der deutschen Mystik in Mittelalter, i. 79 sqq., 116 sqq., Leipsic, 1874.

MATILDA (MECHTILDIS) OF MAGDEBURG: Beguine, afterward nun at Helfta (Helpede), near Eisleben; b. 1212 or a year or two later; d. at Helfta c. 1280. In her twelfth year she was "saluted by the Holy Spirit," and thenceforth her spiritual life developed uninterruptedly (Morel, iv. 2, p. 91). At the age of twenty-three she went to Magdeburg and lived there thirty years as Begume. In her lonely life she had extraordinary experiences which she later wrote down in Low German and thus originated the first six parts of her book; the seventh part she added afterward at Helfta, whither she retired when advanced in years and where she lived for twelve years, highly revered (cf. Lib. spec. grat., ii. 42, v. 7). Her work was translated into High German by Henry of Nördlingen (q.v.) about 1345 (cf. P. Strauch, Heinrich von Nördlingen, pp. 246-247, Freiburg, 1882). The first six parts had already been translated into Latin with a wholly different arrangement and in this form are found

Xathew in the Revelationes Gertrudinte ac Meehthildianw. Matilda is distinguished from most female mystics by her pronounced individuality. Her spiritual experiences were remarkable and she stands in a firm position from which she can dearly distin guish between the external and internal. Further more, she is a real poetess, a true spiritual minne singer. Her description of Mary and the birth of Jesus (Morel, v. 23) is beautiful, her prayers (v. 35, vii. 41-46) are devout and solemn, and she knows well how to express her thoughts in short sentences. As a faithful daughter of the Church she feels its shortcomings and is not sparing with her censure. To her censures she adds predictions, in which the influence of the writings of Joachim of Fiore (q.v.) is perceptible. But the greater part of her book deals with the inner life, and here Matilda betrays a depth and fulness of understanding which makes its study both attractive and fruitful. On the whole it is one of the most interesting works of mysticism, and a true treasure of medieval German literature.

(S. M. Deutsch.)

Bibliography: Die Ofenbarungen der Schweder Mechtdild von Magdeburg, oder das fiessende Licht der Gottheit, ed. G. Morel, Regensburg, 1861; Sandw Mechthildis liber epecialis gratin and Sororia Mechthildis lux divinitmtie fluena in cords veritatis, in Revelatianea Gerdrudian® ac Mechthildianw, cura . . . Soleemenaium O. S. M. monachorum, ii. 1-421 and 435-707, Paris and Poitiers, 1877; W. Preger, Geschichte der deutschen Myatik im Mittelalter, i. 70-71, 91 sqq., Leipsic, 1874; C. Greith, Die deutsche Mystik im Predige'orden, pp. 207-277, Freiburg, 1881; J. Mnller, Leben and Ofenbarungen der heiligen MeeANild und der SeWeater Mechthild, Regensburg, 1881.