Patientia and the Borders of Holy Infirmity

Abstract

Saintly patience towards earthly tribulations is one of the key characteristics of saints’ lives, and it was frequently investigated in canonization inquests. The tribulations could include, for example, deaths of loved ones or troubles with earthly rulers. In most canonization inquests the topic of bodily infirmity, especially the saintly candidate’s patient attitude towards it, was also investigated. However, the way such patience comes up in the process varies greatly: it could be used and investigated to highlight aspects of a saint’s life that the witnesses and the conductors of the hearing considered important, such as preaching, spiritual raptures, or earthly duties. Here the saint’s gender and status in society and the geographic origins of their cult all played major roles.