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Saint Birgitta 83
with him my earthly love, for though I loved him as my
own soul, I would not even with one penny buy him
back to life against God’s will. Now my soul shall de-
vote its love to God alone, and, hence, I will forget both
the ring and my husband." She had exchanged her
earthly for a heavenly love.
She now devoted herself to self-denial and asceticism.
She slept even in winter on the ground with only a rug
and a pillow and a thin mantle for a covering. She
wore a horsehair garment next her body, and around
her waist a knotted rope, which pained her at every
move she made. Every Friday she dropped melted wax
on her arm to remind her of the Saviour’s suffering.
There was something strange about her gifts of char-
ity, they seemed to suffice for everybody.
Christ spoke daily to her in revelations. At such
times she saw nothing and heard nothing of what hap-
pened around her. Afterwards she would tell those
about her what glorious things she had seen and heard.
Her words were taken dfcwn by her father confessors,
and were read with appreciation throughout Christen-
dom.
Her Vadstena Cloister and Visit to Rome. Finally
the thought occurred to her to establish a new cloister,
or convent, at Vadstena in East Gothland. This was
to be an improvement on, the convents of that day, for
in them idleness and luxurious living prevailed. In her
cloister men and women were to devote themselves to
useful work alternating with devotional exercises.
But new cloister regulations had to be sanctioned by
the pope. Hence, Birgitta made a pilgrimage to Rome
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