The Relationship between Prophecy and Holiness in Saintly Women of the Late Middle Ages

I will consider the role of prophecy in the vita of late medieval women such as Birgitta of Sweden, Catherine of Siena, Elisabeth of Reute, and Colette of Corbie. This presentation will examine why prophetic gifts were especially emphasized in the discussion of saintly women in the Late Middle Ages. I will discuss the increasing public activism of saintly and prophetic women. Finally, I will ask how prophecy was used as a legitimation strategy for these women and on the other hand how somatic experiences legitimated their prophecies.