Hildegard von Bingen was born in 1098 on the Bermersheim estate near Alzey. On the occasion of her 900th birthday, numerous exhibitions and lectures took place in 1998, and the media also reported about Hildegard's life. In Hildegard's life, light phenomena that she repeatedly saw in the sky played a central role. She interpreted the light phenomena as divine visions and wrote them down in her books.
After I had already come to the conclusion that the Revelation of John is related to a halo phenomenon, I started to examine Hildegard's books for halo phenomena. Even at first glance, it became clear that her visions show many parallels to halo phenomena.
Halo phenomena are geometric shapes in the sky caused by the refraction and reflection of sunlight on ice crystals. Halos therefore consist only of light. They can become dazzlingly bright in rare cases.
Hildegard's books consist of so many visions that the analysis will take several months. These pages will publish the first results. I will begin with her work "Liber divinorum operum". Each "vision" will first be quoted and then explained as to which halo phenomenon it could refer to. Subsequently, visions in the work "Scivias" (Know the Ways) will also be examined for halo phenomena.
Representation of the first vision in the work
"Liber divinorum operum".
The upper wings correspond to the parry arc. The wings below correspond to the upper tangent arc. The figure consists of the upper and lower light pillar. The lamb in its hands is the sun, and the serpent under its feet is the 22° halo along with the lower tangent arc.
Liber divinorum operum - Preamble
"And it happened in the sixth year, after I had already struggled for five years with wonderful visions. In these visions, a true vision of the imperishable light had shown me, a completely uneducated person, the diversity of various ways of life.
It was at the beginning of the first year of these present visions, when this happened; and I was in my sixty-fifth year of life. Then I had a vision, so deep and mysterious and overwhelming, that I trembled all over and began to fall ill due to my physical frailty. I wrote this vision for seven years and could hardly finish it.
It was in the year 1163 of the Incarnation of the Lord, when the oppression of the Roman See had not yet subsided, under Frederick the Roman Emperor.(...)"
It was at the beginning of the first year of these present visions, when this happened; and I was in my sixty-fifth year of life. Then I had a vision, so deep and mysterious and overwhelming, that I trembled all over and began to fall ill due to my physical frailty. I wrote this vision for seven years and could hardly finish it.
It was in the year 1163 of the Incarnation of the Lord, when the oppression of the Roman See had not yet subsided, under Frederick the Roman Emperor.(...)"
In contrast to the halo phenomena in the Bible (Revelation of John, visions of Daniel and Ezekiel), Hildegard provides the advantage of specifying the timing of the appearance. She had the vision at the beginning of the year 1163. She was probably at her monastery on the Rupertsberg near Bingen. However, she also undertook preaching tours in the years 1161-1163, so the location is not known for sure. Location and time are of great importance with halo phenomena, as the form of the halos depends on the sun's altitude. Since Hildegard made her observation at the beginning of the year, the sun's altitude would not have been more than 20°. It should be noted, however, that the Gregorian calendar was introduced in 1582. October 4, 1582, was immediately followed by October 15, 1582. As a result, today the sun's maximum altitude in Bingen is about 31° on March 1. In the year 1163, it was about 36° on March 1. The sun could therefore rise slightly higher in January 1163 than today.
Another aspect is that ice fog can form in the cold season. Ice fog produces the brightest and most striking halo phenomena. Moreover, halos can also be seen below the horizon in ice fog.
Another aspect is that ice fog can form in the cold season. Ice fog produces the brightest and most striking halo phenomena. Moreover, halos can also be seen below the horizon in ice fog.
Book of Divine Works - 1st Vision
"And I looked in the mystery of God in the midst of the southern skies a beautiful image. It had the shape of a human. Its face was of such beauty and clarity that I could have more easily looked into the sun than into this face. A wide ring of gold surrounded its head all around. In this ring appeared above the head a second face, like that of an older man. Its chin and beard touched the crown of the first head. From the neck of the figure, a wing extended on both sides. The wings rose above the mentioned ring and joined at the top. At the top part of the curvature of the right wing appeared the head of an eagle. Its eyes were like fire, and the angel's splendor shone in them like in a mirror. On the top part of the curvature of the left wing was a human head, which shone like the twinkling of stars. Both faces were turned eastward. From the shoulders of this figure, a wing extended to the knees. It was clad in a garment that shone like the sun. In its hands, it carried a lamb that shone like a clear bright day. With its feet, the figure crushed a monster of terrible appearance, poisonous and black, and a serpent. This had bitten into the right ear of the monster. Its body wrapped itself across the head of the monster; its tail reached on the left side down to the feet."
The figure that Hildegard sees in the south is the combination of the upper and lower light column. The wide ring of gold is part of the 22° halo. The wings are the upper tangent arc, which rises above the 22° halo and starts at the top. In its hands, the figure carries a lamb that shines like a bright clear day. Presumably, the lamb was the sun itself, as Hildegard does not mention that the figure extended its hands. From her perspective, the figure looks forward and carries the lamb with both hands in front of its belly. If the figure consists of the upper and lower light column, then the sun is where Hildegard sees the lamb.
The monster under the feet (lower light column) of the figure is the lower tangent arc to the 22° halo, the snake is the lower part of the 22° halo. The sun's elevation was about 20°. At this solar elevation, the lower tangent arc is still below the horizon, so Hildegard must have seen this phenomenon in the ice mist. The second face above the head is the brightened area between the Parry arc and the upper tangent arc. The wing that reaches to the knees is part of the 22° halo. The eagle and the human head on the left and right wing were likely parts of the Parry arc. Also possible are fragments of the supralateral arc, although these would not be directly at the uppermost part of the curvature of the wings.
The monster under the feet (lower light column) of the figure is the lower tangent arc to the 22° halo, the snake is the lower part of the 22° halo. The sun's elevation was about 20°. At this solar elevation, the lower tangent arc is still below the horizon, so Hildegard must have seen this phenomenon in the ice mist. The second face above the head is the brightened area between the Parry arc and the upper tangent arc. The wing that reaches to the knees is part of the 22° halo. The eagle and the human head on the left and right wing were likely parts of the Parry arc. Also possible are fragments of the supralateral arc, although these would not be directly at the uppermost part of the curvature of the wings.
Book of Divine Works - 2nd Vision
"Then appeared in the middle of the chest of the mentioned figure, which I had seen amidst the southern sky, a wheel of wonderful appearance. It had signs on it that made it similar to that image which I had seen twenty-eight years ago, then in the form of an egg, as described in the third vision of the book "Scivias". At its top part appeared a circle of bright fire around the oval shape, and under this circle another of black fire. The bright circle was twice as thick as the black fiery one. And these two circles were connected so as to form only one. Under the circle of black fire appeared another as if made of pure ether, as dense as the other two together. Under this ether circle, one could see a circle like watery air, which in its circumference had the same density as the bright fire circle. Under this circle of watery air appeared another of strong white clear air, which looked in its hardness like a sinew in the human body. It had the same density as the circle of black fire. These two circles also connected as if they seemed to be one. Under this strong white clear air finally appeared another thin air layer, which at times seemed to carry high, light clouds or then again low-hanging, dark clouds, extending over this entire circle. All these six circles were connected without any further gap between each other. The top circle pervaded with its light the remaining spheres, but the one with the watery air wetted all the others with its moisture."
At first glance, this vision seems very complicated. One must imagine that Hildegard sees several spheres of circles that are closely linked together (“All these circles were connected without any gap”). The six circle spheres describe the 22° halo and the inner area of the 22° halo. It is therefore only one type of halo.
- Circle of bright fire: white outer side of the 22° halo
- Circle of black fire: red inner side of the 22° halo
- Circle of pure ether: outer area within the 22° halo
- Circle of watery air: area within the 22° halo
- Circle of strong white clear air: bright area directly around the sun
- thin air layer: carrier of the clouds
"From the starting point of the east side of the wheel, a line extended northward to the end of the west side, which effectively separated the northern zone from the other areas. In addition, in the middle of the sphere with the thin air, a globe could be seen, equally distant from the strong, white, and luminous air. The transverse dimension of the globe corresponded to the depth of the space from the uppermost part of the first circle to the outermost clouds, or it extended from the distance of the clouds to the height of this globe."
The line that starts on the east side of the wheel is the horizontal circle that was visible over the north to the west. The sphere was in the middle of the sphere with the thin air (inner area of the 22° halo). Therefore, only the sun itself comes into consideration for the sphere.
"Amid this giant wheel appeared the figure of a human. His crown rose upward, the soles of his feet reached downward to the sphere of the strong white and radiant air. To the right were the fingertips of his right hand, to the left those of his left hand stretched out in a cross form toward the circularity. The figure likewise held the arms outstretched."
A light cross can be seen here faintly.
The shape is the combination of the upper and lower light pillar with the horizontal circle (arms). These types of halos together form a light cross in the center of which the sun stands.
"In the direction of these four sides appeared four heads: the head of a leopard, a wolf, a lion, and a bear. Above the crown of the figure, in the sphere of pure ether, I saw on the head of the leopard, how it blew a breath from its mouth. (...)"
The four heads are the two sun dogs as well as the brightened area between the upper tangent arc and Parry arc (leopard blowing a breath) and the strong brightening at the lower tangent arc.
The figure within the red circle (22° halo) is the combination of upper and lower light pillar with the horizontal circle (stretched arms). Below the circle, feet can still be seen. This is the lower tangent arc.
Book of Divine Works - 5th Vision
"Then I saw the earth divided into five regions: One part lay to the east, another to the west, the third to the south, the fourth to the north, the fifth in the middle. East and west parts were of equal size in circumference and each took the shape of a drawn bow. Similarly, the south and north parts were the same size; their length and width resembled the first two bows, only they appeared truncated in their inner boundaries due to the bow-like shape of the first bows. They too, apart from these truncations, resembled a drawn bow.
The other two parts, the south and north parts, were divided into three sections, of which the two middle parts were of the same form and the same size. The remaining four parts, which lay on the edge, had a different but still corresponding shape and spacing; they were approximately equal in length and width to the two middle sections, but appeared narrower at their inner boundaries and wider at the outer boundaries than the other two parts. Corresponding to the proportions mentioned above for the east and west parts, they also curved and offered here a more contracted, there a more expanded space. The fifth of these parts, which lay in their middle, had the form of a quadrilateral and was filled here with heat, there with cold, and at another place with moderately warm air.
The aforementioned eastern part shone with great brightness, the western part was somewhat covered by darkness and therefore darker, while the southern part was divided into three districts. The two border areas were filled with punishments, while the third middle part, though free from punishments, proved terrible due to other frightful monsters. The northern part of the earth also had three districts, whose two outer sections were filled with various punishments, while the middle part with its numerous horrors and punishments proved terrible. Towards the east, I saw over the curvature of the earth at a certain elevation a red sphere surrounded by a sapphire-colored circle. From the right and left side of the sphere, two wings extended from each side of the circle, of which one on each side rose upward, so that these two inclined toward each other and faced each other, while the two others descended from the two lower parts to the middle of the earth's round, encompassing and covering this outside the firmament. From this middle, a red circle stretched out like a bow, encompassing the entire outer part of the west except for certain districts that lay outside this round, so that it curved from the end of the mentioned eastern wing to the west to the end of the northern wing. Within this round, towards the east, appeared as if a building, rising up to the mentioned sphere. From this sphere, a road extended upward to the middle of the mentioned wings, above which a bright star as if shone.
Then one saw between the tips of these wings a fireball, radiating in all directions. From the height of the described earth's round to the aforementioned red sphere, as well as from this sphere to the aforementioned bright star, and from this star to the mentioned fireball, there were equal distances. Between the front wings on each side of the mentioned road, from the mentioned sphere towards the mentioned star to the described fireball, certain rays of the stars could be distinguished.
To the west, outside the round of the earth appeared darkness, stretching like a bow from both parts of this round to their middle, to which also the two wings descended. Between the west and north corner yawned two other denser and even more powerful darknesses, as if they were its mouth and throat. Of these immense darknesses, I only knew, but could not see them. And once again I heard the voice from heaven, which spoke to me: (...)" Übersetzung: Heinrich Schipperges
The other two parts, the south and north parts, were divided into three sections, of which the two middle parts were of the same form and the same size. The remaining four parts, which lay on the edge, had a different but still corresponding shape and spacing; they were approximately equal in length and width to the two middle sections, but appeared narrower at their inner boundaries and wider at the outer boundaries than the other two parts. Corresponding to the proportions mentioned above for the east and west parts, they also curved and offered here a more contracted, there a more expanded space. The fifth of these parts, which lay in their middle, had the form of a quadrilateral and was filled here with heat, there with cold, and at another place with moderately warm air.
The aforementioned eastern part shone with great brightness, the western part was somewhat covered by darkness and therefore darker, while the southern part was divided into three districts. The two border areas were filled with punishments, while the third middle part, though free from punishments, proved terrible due to other frightful monsters. The northern part of the earth also had three districts, whose two outer sections were filled with various punishments, while the middle part with its numerous horrors and punishments proved terrible. Towards the east, I saw over the curvature of the earth at a certain elevation a red sphere surrounded by a sapphire-colored circle. From the right and left side of the sphere, two wings extended from each side of the circle, of which one on each side rose upward, so that these two inclined toward each other and faced each other, while the two others descended from the two lower parts to the middle of the earth's round, encompassing and covering this outside the firmament. From this middle, a red circle stretched out like a bow, encompassing the entire outer part of the west except for certain districts that lay outside this round, so that it curved from the end of the mentioned eastern wing to the west to the end of the northern wing. Within this round, towards the east, appeared as if a building, rising up to the mentioned sphere. From this sphere, a road extended upward to the middle of the mentioned wings, above which a bright star as if shone.
Then one saw between the tips of these wings a fireball, radiating in all directions. From the height of the described earth's round to the aforementioned red sphere, as well as from this sphere to the aforementioned bright star, and from this star to the mentioned fireball, there were equal distances. Between the front wings on each side of the mentioned road, from the mentioned sphere towards the mentioned star to the described fireball, certain rays of the stars could be distinguished.
To the west, outside the round of the earth appeared darkness, stretching like a bow from both parts of this round to their middle, to which also the two wings descended. Between the west and north corner yawned two other denser and even more powerful darknesses, as if they were its mouth and throat. Of these immense darknesses, I only knew, but could not see them. And once again I heard the voice from heaven, which spoke to me: (...)" Übersetzung: Heinrich Schipperges
The drawing must be rotated 90° clockwise to approximate the halo phenomena.
Drawing from the Codex Latinus
Computer simulation of halos, sun height 20°
The circle of earth described by Hildegard is the 22° halo. The divisions within the 22° halo are created by the horizontal circle and the parhelic circle (!). "From the right and left sides of the sphere, two wings each emerged, one of which on each side of the circle stretched upwards so that these two bowed to each other and looked at each other,..." This pair of wings is the Parry arc. "...while the other two (wings) descended from the two lower parts to the middle of the circle of the earth, so that they encompassed and covered this outside of the firmament." This pair of wings is the upper tangent arc. The area in the middle of the circle of earth is the brightened area around the sun.
Book of Divine Works - 7th Vision
"And again I looked: a mighty city. It was laid out in a square and surrounded partly by a special brilliance, partly by certain darknesses like a wall. In the midst of the eastern region, I saw a mighty towering mountain of hard and bright stone, in the form of a fire-breathing mountain, from whose summit a mirror of such glory and purity shone that it seemed to outshine the sun's radiance. In the mirror, a dove with outspread wings appeared, as if it wanted to take flight. This mirror contained many secrets. It sent forth a glow of great width and height, in which numerous mysteries and varied shapes of different figures appeared."
As in the Book of Revelation, Hildegard describes the city as a square. The horizontal circle, on the other hand, is circular. Nevertheless, only the horizontal circle is considered for the city wall. It is possible that Hildegard, like John, thought of the holy city Jerusalem when she had the vision. Jerusalem is described in the Bible with a square layout. It is also possible that the horizontal circle is subjectively perceived as square at a low sun position. The mountain is the 22° halo, which is now no longer fully visible, but only its upper part. On it is a mirror that "seemed to outshine the brilliance of the sun". This refers to the strongly brightened area between the upper tangent arc and the Parry arc. The spread wings of the dove correspond to the upper tangent arc.
"In the same brilliance, towards the south, a cloud appeared, bright white on top and black below. On it shone a great host of angels, some like fire, others clearly radiant, and the third shining like stars. They were all moved by a breath like burning lamps. They were also full of voices that sounded like the roaring of the sea. And each wind let its voice echo with wrathful power and unleashed a fire against the described blackness of the cloud. In this way, that cloud burned without flame towards the blackness. But soon he blew into it and let it vanish and disappear like dense smoke. In this way, he chased the cloud in its dissolution from the south over the said mountain towards the north into an immeasurable abyss. From then on, it could no longer rise, leaving only a layer of mist to move over the earth."
Here Hildegard describes clouds. Partially, the clouds dissolve into dense smoke. She might be describing virga streaks, which can cause very bright halo phenomena. Red and white light up in the clouds. Since Hildegard does not specify the exact location, it cannot be determined exactly what types of halos were involved. It might have been parts of parhelia, the supralateral or infralateral arcs.
"And I heard trumpets resounding from heaven and ringing: What is it that, despite all its strength, fell to its own power? And the white part of the mentioned cloud shone more gloriously than before. But to the wind, which with its triple voice had driven away the blackness of this cloud, no one could resist now. And again I heard a voice speaking from heaven: (...)"
Clouds are also described here again. Especially clouds made of ice crystals can shine brightly near the sun.
The city wall is the horizon circle, the mountain the 22° halo, the wings of the dove the upper tangent arc. Sun altitude about 10°. The drawing does not match the halo phenomena exactly. The dove should have been drawn within the city wall on the mountain.
Summarized by Mark Vornhusen.