Editing Hildegard of Bingen (section)

===Monastic life===
Perhaps because of Hildegard's visions or as a method of political positioning, or both, Hildegard's parents offered her as an [[oblate]] to the [[Order of St. Benedict|Benedictine]] monastery at [[Disibodenberg]], which had been recently reformed in the [[Palatinate Forest]]. The date of Hildegard's [[Enclosed religious orders|enclosure]] at the monastery is the subject of debate. Her {{lang|la|[[Hagiography|Vita]]}} says she was eight years old when she was professed with [[Jutta von Sponheim|Jutta]], who was the daughter of Count [[Stephen II, Count of Sponheim|Stephan II of Sponheim]] and about six years older than Hildegard.<ref>''Jutta & Hildegard: The Biographical Sources'', trans. Anna Silvas (Pennsylvania State University Press, 1999), p. 139.</ref> Jutta's date of enclosure is known to have been in 1112, when Hildegard would have been 14.<ref>''Jutta & Hildegard: The Biographical Sources'', trans. Anna Silvas (Pennsylvania State University Press, 1999), pp. 52–55, 69; and John Van Engen, "Abbess: 'Mother and Teacher', in Barbara Newman, ed., ''Voice of the Living Light'' (California: University of California Press, 1998), pp. 30–51, at pp. 32–33.</ref> Their vows were received by Bishop [[Otto of Bamberg]] on All Saints Day 1112. Some scholars speculate that Hildegard was placed in the care of Jutta at the age of eight, and that the two of them were then enclosed together six years later.<ref>Michael McGrade, "Hildegard von Bingen", in ''Die Musik in Geschichte und Gegenwart: allgemeine Enzyklopaldie der Musik,'' 2nd edition, T.2, Vol. 8, ed. Ludwig Fischer (Kassel and New York: Bahrenreiter, 1994).</ref>

In any case, Hildegard and Jutta were enclosed together at Disibodenberg and formed the core of a growing community of women attached to the monastery of monks, named a ''Frauenklause,'' a type of female hermitage. Jutta was also a visionary and thus attracted many followers who came to visit her at the monastery. Hildegard states that Jutta taught her to read and write, but that she was unlearned, and therefore incapable of teaching Hildegard sound Biblical interpretation.<ref>Ruether, Rosemary Radford. ''Visionary Women'' (Minneapolis: Augsburg Fortress, 2002), p. 6.</ref> The written record of the ''Life of Jutta'' indicates that Hildegard probably assisted her in reciting the psalms, working in the garden, other handiwork, and tending to the sick.<ref>''Jutta & Hildegard: The Biographical Sources'', trans. Anna Silvas (Pennsylvania State University Press, 1999), pp. 70–73; Reed-Jones, Carol. ''Hildegard of Bingen: Women of Vision'' (Washington: Paper Crane Press, 2004), p. 8.</ref> This might have been a time when Hildegard learned how to play the ten-stringed [[psaltery]]. [[Volmar (monk)|Volmar]], a frequent visitor, may have taught Hildegard simple psalm notation. The time she studied music could have been the beginning of the compositions she would later create.<ref>Reed-Jones, Carol. ''Hildegard of Bingen: Women of Vision'' (Washington: Paper Crane Press, 2004), p. 6.</ref>

Upon Jutta's death in 1136, Hildegard was unanimously elected as {{lang|la|magistra}} of the community by her fellow nuns.<ref>Furlong, Monica. ''Visions and Longings: Medieval Women Mystics'' (Massachusetts: Shambhala Publications, 1996), p. 84.</ref> Abbot Kuno of Disibodenberg asked Hildegard to be [[prioress]], which would be under his authority. Hildegard wanted more independence for herself and her nuns and asked Abbot Kuno to allow them to move to [[Rupertsberg]].<ref>Furlong, Monica. ''Visions and Longings: Medieval Women Mystics'' (Massachusetts: Shambhala Publications, 1996), p. 85.</ref> This was to be a move toward poverty, from a stone complex that was well established to a temporary dwelling place. When the abbot declined Hildegard's proposition, Hildegard went over his head and received the approval of [[Archbishop Henry I of Mainz]]. Abbot Kuno did not relent, however, until Hildegard was stricken by an illness that rendered her paralyzed and unable to move from her bed, an event that she attributed to God's unhappiness at her not following his orders to move her nuns to Rupertsberg. It was only when the Abbot himself could not move Hildegard that he decided to grant the nuns their own monastery.<ref>McGrade, "Hildegard", ''MGG''.</ref> Hildegard and approximately 20 nuns thus moved to the St. Rupertsberg monastery in 1150, where [[Volmar (monk)|Volmar]] served as provost, as well as Hildegard's confessor and scribe. In 1165, Hildegard founded a second monastery for her nuns at [[St. Hildegard, Eibingen|Eibingen]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Women in art and music |url=https://wam.rutgers.edu/profiles/hildegard-of-bingen-an-interview-with-dr-margot-fassler/ |website=rutgers.edu}}</ref>

Before Hildegard's death in 1179, a problem arose with the clergy of Mainz: a man buried in Rupertsberg had died after excommunication from the Catholic Church. Therefore, the clergy wanted to remove his body from the sacred ground. Hildegard did not accept this idea, replying that it was a sin and that the man had been reconciled to the church at the time of his death.<ref>Flanagan, Sabina. ''Hildegard of Bingen, 1098–1179: a visionary life'' (London: Routledge, 1989), p. 11.</ref>