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The formal papal declaration of Hildegard's sanctity was made on May 10, 2012, followed a few months later, on October 7, 2012, by a similar declaration of her being a "Doctor of the Church". In fact, what had lasted for centuries was the longest canonization process in the history of the Church precisely, the process to canonize Hildegard. That this surprise should be followed so quickly by the decision to grant Hildegard the title of Doctor indicates the great interest in the magistra 's image, character, teaching, and impact over the course of over eight centuries. This chapter traces the interest demonstrated by the papacy and the curia in the cult of Hildegard, culminating with its 2012 apotheosis. The canonization and doctorization of Hildegard of Bingen were not simply the acts of a German Pope recognizing a German holy woman, but rather the culmination of centuries of efforts in that direction. Keywords: Bingen; canonization; Church; doctorization; German Pope; Hildegard; magistra

This chapter is a brief presentation of one of Hildegard's more unique gifts: the reception of a divinely provided alphabet and language. Mysteries abound regarding Hildegard's "unknown language" and "unknown alphabet". Much attention has been given to Hildegard's lingua and littera by linguists. Wilhelm Grimm is the first scholar of the modern period to have examined Hildegard's writings in this regard; he was primarily interested in the German equivalents for the language's vocabulary. Of the tiny number of witnesses to the manuscript tradition of Hildegard's language, the most important is the manuscript Wiesbaden, Hessische Landesbibliothek. It is best known by its nickname, the Riesenkodex, and it serves as the fundamental collection of Hildegard's non-scientific works. In the early texts of Hildegard and her followers and devotees, this linking of her music and her language is significant, as both were seen as divine gifts that together reached the world through Hildegard. Keywords: divinevocabulary; Hildegard; Riesenkodex; unknown language; Wilhelm Grimm

This chapter presents an outline of the canonization process of Catherine (including the Processo Castellano of 1411-16), together with indications of the state of her cult up to her canonization by Pope Pius II. Catherine's fame as a saint had been established in her lifetime, but after her death it was felt that she should be the subject of an authoritative vita , or hagiographical biography. Over much of the decade following the installation of Catherine's head in Siena, Raymond devoted himself to composing the work commonly known as the Legenda maior , the vita which would prove to be the most influential hagiographical work concerning Catherine. The Legenda maior 's completion in the last years of the 14th century coincided with the beginning of the campaign by Caffarini to seek papal approval of the Dominican mantellate, and as a part of that project, the development of a saintly cult around Catherine. Keywords:Caffarini; canonization process; Catherine; hagiographical biography; Legenda maior ; Processo Castellano ; Siena

In seeking to establish the formal origin of the Second Crusade, one finds that in Vetralla on December 1, 1145, Pope Eugenius III issued the crusading bull Quantum praedecessores.1 Here, the pope addresses himself to France’s King Louis VII, his princes and all the faithful living in his realm. Eugenius recalls the efforts of Franks and Italians who, inspired by his predecessor Pope Urban II, took Jerusalem from the Moslems. The pope beseeches Louis and his men to recapture the city of Edessa (present-day Urfa, Turkey), which recently had been taken by the Moslems. In return, Eugenius promises ecclesiastical protection of those family members, goods and possessions left behind by the new crusaders; he also declares the protection of debtors who participate in the crusade. The pope establishes some norms of behavior which must be followed by all who take the cross: expensive clothes, dogs and falcons are forbidden. To those who respond to this call, the pope grants the remission of sins.