Wounds of Love: The Mystical Marriage of Saint Rose of Lima

Individuals who injure themselves have existed throughout history. This fascinating case study shows the historical context of this perplexing behavior. Saint Rose of Lima explained her self-inflicted suffering with the values of 16th-century South America the way an anorexic today draws on current values. Why do self-injurers win social approval and subtle encouragement? Rose's huge popularity during her lifetime and ever since is brilliantly explained here based on extensive original research. This tale brings true insight into the human psyche in any time period.

This remarkable book is the result of impeccable research combined with a strong command of interpretive theories. The chapters on the psychology of mysticism are incredible. Highly recommended for anyone interested in female mysticism, the psychology of religion, and colonial Latin America.

In this innovative study, St. Rose of Lima provides a focus for the broader exploration of themes in medieval and early-modern mysticism. The politics of canonization, the textual construction of saints, and mystical marriage are all treated with insight and precision. The discussion is profoundly interdisciplinary, combining the methods of history, cultural studies, and psychology to elucidate how saints are formed by their cultures. This book is a major and extraordinary accomplishment.

Excellent- sets a new standard for the scholarship on saints and mystics. Provocative, clearly reasoned, and beautifully written.