Historian and English mysticism expert Stephen Nichols delves into the life and pilgrimage of Margery Kempe, a daring English mystic from the Middle Ages. The podcast discusses her mystical experiences, epic pilgrimage to Jerusalem, encounters with obstacles, and spiritual growth across Europe and the Middle East.
Marjorie Kemp's mystical journeys included visits to Jerusalem and Rome, chronicled in The Book of Marjorie Kemp.
Despite facing challenges, Kemp's pilgrimages to various holy sites were adventurous and spiritually significant.
Deep dives
Marjorie Kemp's Life and Mystical Visions
Marjorie Kemp, born in 1373 in Norfolk, UK, chronicled her life, mystical visions, and conversations with God in her book, The Book of Marjorie Kemp. Married to John Kemp, she had 14 children and started having visions after the birth of her first son. Kemp took remarkable pilgrimages, the longest being from 1413 to 1415, where she traveled to Jerusalem and later to Rome.
Marjorie Kemp's Epic Pilgrimages
Marjorie Kemp's first pilgrimage involved traveling to Jerusalem through Venice and then Rome, facing challenges fellow pilgrims often encountered. She stayed at the English Hospice of the Most Holy Trinity and St. Thomas in Rome. Subsequent pilgrimages to Spain and Prussia in 1417-1418 and 1433-1434 were shorter but not as epic as her initial journey, encompassing miles traveled on foot, by boat, and on a donkey.
1.
Exploring the Life and Pilgrimage of Margery Kempe
Margery Kempe is known for her daring travels around the world and her writings about them. Today, Stephen Nichols takes us on the adventures of this English mystic from the Middle Ages.