In light of yesterday's post about Julian of Norwich, in June Jana and I visited St. Julian's Church in Norwich.
This was the church were Julian lived as an anchoress. Anchorism was a distinctive practice of medieval Christianity, where the anchorite, generally a woman, would have a cell built that was attached to an external wall of a church. A window made in the wall, called a "squint" or "hagioscope," allowed the anchoress to see the altar and participate in the Mass. The anchoress would be ritually enclosed in her cell to spend the rest of her days.
We believe that Julian wrote her short account of her "showings"--called the Short Text--shortly after her illness in 1373 and prior to her enclosure. After her enclosure, Julian returned to her showings and expanded upon them, reflecting upon their deeper meanings. This produced what is called the Long Text, which we know as Revelations on the Divine Love.
Julian wrote in Middle English, so her work comes to us in various translations, some more literal and others more interpretive. Here's the Middle English text of the hazelnut vision from Chapter 5:
Also in this, he shewed me a littile thinge the quantitye of a heselle nutte, lygande in the palme of my hand, and, to my understandinge, that it was as round as any balle. I lokede theropon and thowte: "Whate maye this be?" And I was answerde generaly thus: "It is alle that is made." I merveylede howe it might laste, for
methought it might falle sodaynlye to nought for litille. And I was answerde in my understandinge: "It lastes and ever shalle, for God loves it. And so hath alle thinge the beinge thorowe the love of God."
Julian's cell was destroyed around 1530 due to Protestant reactions toward the monastic presence in England. The church itself was destroyed during WW2 when it suffered a direct hit from a German bomb during the Norwich blitz. The church was rebuilt in opened again in 1953. A chapel was built in the location where historians believe Julian's cell was located, some exposed foundation, visible to visitors, providing a clue.
During our visit we happened upon a group who had scheduled to have a talk delivered by Fr. Richard Stanton, the parish priest. We gathered in Julian's chapel where Fr. Stanton shared some lovely reflections. One image particularly struck me.
An anchoress cell, Fr. Stanton described, had three openings. The hagioscope opened into the church toward the altar, through which the anchoress could receive the Eucharist. Another window opened to the outside where the anchoress could receive visitors. It was common for people to seek out an anchoress for prayer and spiritual counsel. We know Julian engaged in this practice because we have a firsthand account from Margery Kempe who made a pilgrimage to Norwich to visit with "Dame Julian." Finally, there was a window through which the anchoress could receive her meals and through which her waste could be removed.
Reflecting upon these three windows, Fr. Stanton shared that we need these same three openings in our own lives. First, and most important, we must have a opening toward God. Next, we must have an opening toward the needs of others. We must give help. And finally, we must have an opening through which we receive help from others. An anchoress required assistance to maintain her existence. This last opening, shared Fr. Stanton, may be the most difficult one for us to admit and allow. It is hard to accept help. We'd rather be self-sufficient than admit our dependency.
Lovely reflections. Life consists of three openings.
We all live within Julian's cell.
