Mary-Sophia: The Eternal Feminine in Visions of St. Hildegard ~ Maria Sophia
Excerpt From Sophia-Maria by Fr. Thomas Schipflinger pg. 145-150
This fascinating and mysterious picture shows two figures (See cover image of this post). Hildegard calls the one on the left “Wisdom” and the one on the right “God's Omnipotence.” Describing the figure on the left she says:
“I saw close to the northern corner a figure facing to the east. Its face and feet shone with such brilliance that they dazzled my eyes. It wore a gown of white silk and over it a green mantle richly adorned with the most varied precious stones. There were pendants on its ears, a collar on its breast, and coils on its arms. . . .”
Heinrich Schipperges summarizes what Hildegard says about the first figure in the following way:
“The figure in the northern comer indicates the Wisdom of true rapture, a Wisdom whose beginning and end are beyond human reason. The silken garment indicates the virgin birth of the Son of God; the green cloak indicates the world of creation along with the human species associated with it. . . “
This interpretation of the vision in which Hildegard expressly beholds and declares Wisdom is extremely revealing. The figure of Wisdom is radiant with a wonderful and blinding brilliance. The statement “the silken garment indicates the virgin birth of the Son of God is extremely profound and significant, because Sophia is related to the birth of the Son of God, and therefore to Mary, the Mother of Jesus. What is this relationship? The explanation near at hand is the thesis that runs throughout this book like a golden thread: Sophia incarnated in Mary, from whom the Son of God took on flesh and was virginally born. In other words, Sophia took on human form in Mary, and Mary is the true dwelling place of Wisdom, which is the basis for Her participation in Sophia's splendors. This Sophiological thesis has far-reaching implications for Mariology and ecclesiology.
(The cover image) shows that over Her garment of white silk, the figure of Wisdom is wearing a green cloak which is richly decorated with all kinds of precious stones:
“[T]he green cloak indicates the world of creation along with the human species associated with it; the adornment, too, is a symbol of the order of creation that is subordinate to humanity. But we humans are responsible for the whole of creation.”
This declaration is of cosmic significance. The cloak and jewels are related to creation and the jewels to humanity in particular. Creation is therewith the cloak of Wisdom and She is decorated with humanity, Her favorite and most precious possession. Just as a woman wearing a garment is the mistress, indeed the soul of the garment, Sophia is the Mistress and Soul of creation, which is Her garment.
A woman's jewels emphasize and perfect her beauty. In the same way humanity is Sophia's masterpiece and primary decoration. Yet the person wearing the jewelry lends the jewels their brilliance, bringing out the full effect. In the same way, Sophia is the inner brilliance of humanity, helping humanity achieve the fullness of its radiance and dignity.
White is a color containing all other colors. In the same way, Sophia's orientation to the Logos, and Her bridal and maternal relationship and cooperation with the Logos become human, is the basis for all aspects of Her dignity and beauty: the entire rainbow of Her splendor. Green is the color of life and hope. Sophia is the essence of viriditas (Latin: viridis—“green” viriditas—“greeness” a primary concept of Hildegard's nature teaching), the essence of nature's and humanity's power of life. Gold is the most precious of all metals and signifies the elevated nobility of Sophia as well as humanity.
One could deduce still more comparisons and insights from this image of Sophia. One thing is certain: this vision is fundamental and the key to understanding and interpreting the others. For it reveals Sophia in Her relationship to Mary as the Mother of the Son of God, Sophia became a human being in Mary in order that the Son of God might become man from Her, as well as in Her relationship to creation, creation is Her garment and decoration, She is Herself the bearer of creation and creation's Mistress, Soul and Power.
Hildegard indicates that the vision's second figure, in the form of a winged being, is a symbol of “almighty God, invincible in majesty and marvelous in power.” his apparition has the form of a six-winged Seraph, hands upraised in prayer, with a garment of fish scales and the feet of a lion. In the figure's bosom is the head of an old man. A fascinating and remarkable image!
Perhaps it is not erroneous to relate Hildegard's words about the figure's symbolic relationship to Almighty God to the Holy Spirit in particular, i.e., the figure is a symbol of the Holy Spirit in its dignity and powers. In Sacred Scripture, the Holy Spirit is often portrayed as a being with wings—in Genesis, for example, as a brooding mother bird: “the spirit of God hovered over the surface of the water.” (Gen. 1,2). In the New Testament the Holy Spirit descended upon Jesus in the form of a dove at the baptism in the Jordan (Matt. 3,16, as well as “the other Evangelists report this). The Seraph's six wings point to the Holy Spirit, who is the spirit of love. The number six is the symbolic number of bounteous love, and Seraph means “burning in love.” The hands of the Seraph figure are stretched out in supplication. The Holy Spirit pleads and sighs for us (Rom. 8,26). The garment of fish scales perhaps points to the water of baptism: “no one can enter the kingdom of God without being born from water and spirit” (John 3,5).
Water is also the symbol of life and wisdom—water of life, water of wisdom. The feet of the lion may be an indication of the “power of the Holy Spirit” (virtus spiritus sancti). The figure's head radiates like the sun. The essence of the Holy Spirit is absolute light, sun, warmth, and life. The six wings—six is the symbolic number of love, the six Works of Mercy—point to the Holy Spirit, who is entirely love and mercy, and to the power of love which “soars” to more elevated states.
Perhaps the presence of this symbol next to the image of Wisdom means to
indicate that Wisdom is especially “involved” with the Holy Spirit and that She is the image or perfect mirror of the Holy Spirit:
“She [Wisdom] is the radiance that streams from everlasting light [i.e., the Holy Spirit], the flawless mirror of the active power of God” (Wisd. 7,26).
If Sophia is the most perfect image of the Holy Spirit, perhaps we can draw conclusions about Sophia's characteristics based on those of the Holy Spirit. She participates in all the qualities and powers of the Holy Spirit, to the extent that this is possible for a creature (Wisd. 7, 22–29 says: “In wisdom there is a spirit intelligent and holy . . .”).
Thus can we understand this Seraphic spirit-figure as a symbolic interpretation of Sophia Herself. The wings point to Her perfectly spiritual nature which is elevated beyond space and time. Eastern Church icons almost always represent Sophia with wings. The garment of fish scales points to Her relationship to water. Water is the symbol of life and wisdom: water of life, water of wisdom. The head of the old man within Her womb perhaps indicates that She effects everything in connection with Yahweh, guiding it to completion. The head of the old man is depicted above the head of Sophia in the picture of the cosmos and in the picture of the Lamb of God. This is another reason for thinking of Sophia here and for understanding the depiction as a symbol of Her. The outstretched arms signify that Sophia is always open for God and the world; She is the intercessor praying for the world, the world's praying and intercessionary Guardian Angel, as Florenski calls Her.
The figure's head radiates like the sun: i.e., Sophia's thinking and willing works like the sun; Sophia is indeed the sun that illuminates, warms and animates the world, causing it to grow and ripen; She is the Soul of the World. The Book of Wisdom says: “She is more beautiful than the sun, and surpasses every constellation” (Wisd. 7,29). The lion's feet indicate Wisdom's power and might.
From head to foot Sophia is light, beauty, power, might, and love. The figure of the Seraph with the six wings testifies to this. Six is the symbolic number of proliferous love. The five spheres within the wings, however, also emphasize this. In symbology five is well known as the number of the magical love and power of the feminine. Five is also the number consecrated not just to Ishtar, the goddess of life and love, but to Venus, the goddess of love. The five-sided Venus temple in Balbek is a clear sign of this. In Christian symbolism Mary is represented with the symbol of the pentagram or five-pointed star as Stella Matutina. Five appears as a magical number in connection with the power of eros and the feminine.6 Accordingly, the five spheres within the Seraph's wings signify Sophia's magically inspired and inspiring power of love.
