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The Comte De Gabalis

By Abbé N. de Montfaucon de Villars

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Magdalen of the Cross

"The mention of these Nunnes puts me in mind of that famous story in Wierus of Magdalena Crucia, first a Nunne, and then an Abbatesse of a Nunnery in Corduba in Spain. Those things which were miraculous in her were these; that she could tell allmost at any distance how the affairs of the world went, what consultations or transactions there were in all the nations of Christendome, from whence she got to herself the reputation of a very Holy woman and a great Prophetesse. But other things came to pass by her, or for her sake, no lesse strange and miraculous; as that at the celebrating of the Holy Eucharist, the Priest should allwayes want one of his round wafers, which was secretly conveyed to Magdalen, by the administration of Angelis, as was supposed, and shee receiving of it into her mouth ate it; in the view of the people, to their great astonishment and high reverence of the Saint. At the elevation of the Host Magdalen being near at hand, but yet a wall betwixt, that the wall was conceived to open and to exhibite Magdalen to the view of them in the chappell, and that thus she partaked of the consecrated bread. When this Abbatesse came into the chappell herself upon some special day, that she would set off the solemnity of the day by some notable and conspicuous miracle: For she would sometimes be lifted up above the ground three or foure cubits high; other sometimes bearing the Image of Christ in her armes, weeping savourly, she would make her haire to increase to that length and largenesse that it would come to her heels, and cover her all over and the Image of Christ in her armes, which anon notwithstanding would shrink up again to its usuall size." DR. HENRY MORE THE PLATONIST, FELLOW OF CHRIST COLLEGE, CAMBRIDGE. "AN ANTIDOTE AGAINST ATHEISM." EDITION 1653, PAGES 117-18.