Hildegard: Illuminations

The Choirs of Angels Mandala

This illumination also makes use of several layers of concentric circles superimposed on a square background. What does the circle represent? These are the choirs of angels; they are represented in blue, the gentle, nurturing color which was common in these illuminations.

Green is another very important color in the work of Hildegard. Her writings speak often of viriditas, which has been translated as "greening," and she speaks of the "greening" of the universe. The word is all "greening" -- brimming with life, vitality, and creativity. Similarly, Christ brings lush greenness to shriveled and wilted people. Look in the images and see how the color green is used.

Hildegard uses this image to describe many important theological concepts. For example, Mary is the viridissima virga. Her position as the Mother of God in orthodox theology is a "greening" one; she gives life to humans through the life she gave the Christ. It is not only God, Christ and Mary who have viriditas, but also human beings, who are a microcosm of the universe. Humankind is alone called to co-create. God created humankind so that humankind might cultivate the earthly and thereby create the heavenly.

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