St. Hildegard Of Bingen

Feast day: September 17
Lived in Germany 1098-1179

I received Pope (Emeritus) Benedict XVI's book Holy Women as a Christmas present this year. The first chapter describes Saint Hildegard of Bingen, a medieval German abbess, who lived quite an extraordinary life.

LIFE AND WORKS
   God granted St. Hildegard visions, which (having consulted St. Bernard of Clairvaux and Pope Eugene III on their legitimacy) she had written down and collected into three volumes. These were Scivias (describing the order of God's creation, the order of redemption, as well as the whole of salvation history through allegory and symbolism), Liber Vitae Meritorum (on morality and the conflict between virtues and vices) and Liber Divinorum Operum ("Book of Divine Works", exploring concepts related to the Prologue of John's Gospel).
   She spoke out bravely on issues of her time, wrote many letters to those who consulted her, and travelled around to speak to the people of God even as her life drew to a close. She also worked with medicine and was known for her healing powers.
   In addition to being a mystic, St. Hildegard is famous for her music. She composed many hymns, antiphons, songs, and even a morality play. These are still performed and enjoyed today. Here's a link to one of many collections of her music.

           "The spiritual life must be tended with great dedication."
                                                     - St. Hildegard of Bingen

Technical notes:
Used this and this picture as a reference.
Watercolour pencils, pro markers, black pens. Background and border added digitally.

Holy Women by Pope Benedict XVI
    - Chapter 1: St. Hildegard of Bingen
    - Chapter 2: St. Clare of Assisi
    - Chapter 3: St. Matilda of Hackeborn
    - Chapter 4: St. Gertrude the Great
    - Chapter 5: Bl. Angela of Foligno
    - Chapter 6: St. Elizabeth of Hungary
    - Chapter 7: St. Bridget of Sweden
    - Chapter 8: Marguerite d'Oingt
    - Chapter 9: St. Juliana of Cornillon
    - Chapter 10: St. Catherine of Siena
    - Chapter 11: Julian of Norwich
    - Chapter 12: St. Veronica Giuliani
    - Chapter 13: St. Catherine of Bologna
    - Chapter 14: St. Catherine of Genoa
    - Chapter 15: St. Joan of Arc
    - Chapter 16: St. Teresa of Ávila
    - Chapter 17: St. Thérèse of Lisieux