RELIGIOUS ENCYCLOPEDIA
Mathew Matilda
ing been professor at the Petit Seminaire of Pont-a- Mousson from 1859, and for ten years was confessor of the Dominican nuns at Nancy. In 1894 he was consecrated bishop of Angers, and two years later was enthroned archbishop of Toulouse. He was created cardinal priest of Santa Sabina in 1899. He wrote L'Ancien regime dans la province de Lorraine et Barrois d'apres des documents inedits (Paris, 1879) and Le Concordat de 1801, ses origines, son histoire (1903).
MATHURINS. See Trinitarians.
MATILDA (MECHTILDIS), SAINT, OF HACKE- BORN: Benedictine nun of Helfta (Helpede), near Eisleben; b. 1241; d. about 1310. She belonged to the family of the lords of Hackeborn, and was the younger sister of Gertrude, who for forty years stood at the head of the monastery of Helfta (see Gertrude). The revelations which she claimed to have here were written down by her sister nuns. The contents of these revelations are visions in which questions were put to Christ and Mary, to which answers were received. For the most part they are questions of the inner life and are sometimes fine and profound. In keeping with the time the holy virgin is worshiped to excess, yet there is a remarkable passage (i. 18, pp. 54 sqq.) in which Mary with all creatures accuse Matilda, but Christ alone has mercy upon her and absolves her. Another passage (ii. 14, p. 148) has secured her a place in the Catalogus testium veritatis of Flacius (p. 923 of the editio princeps) because it is shown there how all her imperfection is made perfect by the perfection of the Son of God. It is an undenied truth, though often practically obscured, that in the theology of the Western Church of the Middle Ages all salvation comes finally through the divine mercy in Christ, and in mysticism this is often expressed in the most vivid manner; of this Matilda is a witness. (S. M. Deutsch.)
Bibliography: Sanctw Mechthildia liber specialis gratiae, in
Revelationes Gertrudiance ac Mechthildiance, cura . . So-
lesmensium O. S. M. monachorum, ii. 1-421, Paris, 1877;
J. M tiller, Leben und Offenbarungen der heiligen Mech-
thild und der Schwester Mechthild, Regensburg, 1881;
W. Preger, Geschichte der deutschen Mystik im Mittelalter,
i. 79 sqq., 116 sqq., Leipsic, 1874.
MATILDA (MECHTILDIS) OF MAGDEBURG:
Beguine, afterward nun at Helfta (Helpede), near Eisleben; b. 1212 or a year or two later; d. at Helfta c. 1280. In her twelfth year she was " saluted by the Holy Spirit," and thenceforth her spiritual life developed uninterruptedly (Morel, iv. 2, p. 91). At the age of twenty-three she went to Magdeburg and lived there thirty years as Beguine. In her lonely life she had extraordinary experiences which she later wrote down in Low German and thus originated the first six parts of her book; the seventh part she added afterward at Helfta, whither she retired when advanced in years and where she lived for twelve years, highly revered (cf. Lib. spec, grot., ii. 42, v. 7). Her work was translated into High German by Henry of Nordlingen (q.v.) about 1345 (cf. P. Strauch, Heinrich von Nordlingen, pp. 246-247, Freiburg, 1882). The first six parts had already been translated into Latin with a wholly different arrangement and in this form are found
in the Revelationes Gertrudinaz ac Mechthildiana. Matilda is distinguished from most female mystics by her pronounced individuality. Her spiritual experiences were remarkable and she stands in a firm position from which she can clearly distinguish between the external and internal. Furthermore, she is a real poetess, a true spiritual minnesinger. Her description of Mary and the birth of Jesus (Morel, v. 23) is beautiful, her prayers (v. 35, vii. 41-46) are devout and solemn, and she knows well how to express her thoughts in short sentences. As a faithful daughter of the Church she feels its shortcomings and is not sparing with her censure. To her censures she adds predictions, in which the influence of the writings of Joachim of Fiore (q.v.) is perceptible. But the greater part of her book deals with the inner life, and here Matilda betrays a depth and fulness of understanding which makes its study both attractive and fruitful. On the whole it is one of the most interesting works of mysticism, and a true treasure of medieval German literature. (S. M. Deutsch.)
Bibliography: Die Offenbarungen der Schwester Mechthild von Magdeburg, oder das fliessende Licht der Gottheit, ed. G. Morel, Regensburg, 1861; Sanctce Mechlhildis liber specialis gratice and Sororis Mechthildis lux divinitatis fluens in corda veritatis, in Revelationes Gertrudiance ac Mechthildiance, cura , . Solesmensium O. S. M. monachorum, ii. 1-421 and 435-707, Paris and Poitiers, 1877; W. Preger, Geschichte der deutschen Mystik im Mittelalter, i. 70-71, 91 sqq., Leipsic, 1874; C. Greith, Die deutsche Mystik im Predigerorden, pp. 207-277, Freiburg, 1861; J. Miiller, Leben und Offenbarungen der heiligen Mechthild und der Schwester Mechthild, Regensburg, 1881.
MATILDA, COUNTESS OF TUSCANY: Supporter of the papacy; b. 1046; d. in the monastery of Bondeno de' Roncori July 24, 1115. A daughter of Count Boniface of Tuscany and Beatrice of Lorraine, she inherited from her parents, while still a mere child, very extensive possessions in northern and central Italy, through which lay the roads from Germany and France to Rome. They were therefore strategically important in the wars between emperor and pope. Her parentage was German, and her ancestors were adherents of the German emperors; but the treacherous manner in which Henry III. treated her father induced the latter to support the papal position; and during the reigns of Nicholas II., Alexander II., Gregory VII., Victor III., Urban II., and Paschalis II., the Countess Matilda followed their course and was the mainstay of the papacy. Specially intimate were her relations with Gregory VII., whom she sheltered more than once against Henry IV. She continued the war against the emperor, even after Gregory's death. She was twice married, first to Godfrey of Lorraine, then to Duke Guelf of Bavaria; but her first marriage seems never to have been completed, and from her second husband she was divorced. Her enormous wealth, bequeathed to the papal chair, formed part of the so-called " Patrimonium Petri" (see Papal States).
Bibliography: The Vita by the monk Donizone (Domnizone) is in best form ed., with two Epitomes, L. C. Bethmann in MGH, Script., xii (1856), 348-409; or separately, ed. F. Davoli, Reggio-Emilia, 1888. An excellent list of literature is found in Potthast, Wegweiser, p. 1468. Consult: L. Tosti, La Contessa Matilde, Florence, 1859, new ed., Rome, 1886; A. Pannenborg, Studien zur
Matins Matthew