Julian of Norwich - Biography
Julian of Norwich was a celebrated English mystic; she is often considered today to be one of the greatest. She was born in about 1343, but we do not even know her real name. She is called "Julian" after the Church of Saint Julian in Norwich, England where she served as anchoress. She may or may not have been a Benedictine nun.
Image: St. Julian Church in Norwich, England where Julian was Anchoress
Note: The church was mostly destroyed during the air raids of WWII, and was rebuilt in the 1950s.
In May of the year 1373, when she was thirty years old, Julian received vivid visions of Christ and the Blessed Virgin while suffering from a serious, potentially deadly, illness These visions inspired her greatest work, what is now known as Sixteen Revelations of Divine Love.
(Image: Statue of Julian of Norwich in Norwich, England)
It is unknown exactly when Julian died, although she may have lived into the fifteenth century. She was never officially beatified or canonized, but because of her popularity, she is often referred to as "Saint" Julian of Norwich. Her memorial is celebrated by the Catholic Church on May 13, the alleged day she recovered from her deadly illness and her visions stopped.