Hildegard has in recent years become something of a cult figure through the wide dissemination of her music, which was only one of the accomplishments of this most remarkable woman of any age. From an early age she had been receiving revelations or visions. Later a panel of theologians decided that her revelations were from God. These were written down through a monk named Volmar.

The result was a three volume work known as ‘Scivas’. Her constant theme was in the life giving power of God. She had an obvious appeal to modern deep ecology spirituality. She wrote to everyone from the Pope to Kings delivering homilies and warnings about the evils of the age and was not afraid to rebuke anyone. Many came to consult her while others denounced her as mad. She also preached publicly something unknown for a woman of her age.

She is famous for the falling out she had with the religious authorities. She buried the body of a young man who had been excommunicated in the convent cemetery. She was told he could not be buried in sacred ground. She replied by saying that he had received the last rites and if they wanted to dig the body up and remove it so be it. The bishop sent a team of men to do so but Hildegard was a step ahead. She and other sisters to camouflage the freshly dug grave came along and dug up all the top surface of every grave so they all looked the same. The bishop was furious to be outdone and placed the convent under an interdict which meant the nuns could not receive the sacraments or have music in their church. Again she was not to be outdone. And so she wrote back
“Those therefore who without good reason, impose silence on churches in which singing in God’s honour can be heard will not deserve to hear the glorious choir of angels that praises the Lord in heaven.” The interdict was lifted!