Anorexia Mirabilis (idea)

Anorexia mirabilis, miraculous loss of appetite.

This term is applicable to the medieval women who literally starved themselves in the name of God. They were seen as saints, supreme and pious beyond normal mortals. These women actually believed they did not need to eat, but that they could live on the “delicious banquet of God” instead. They became famous and a source of awe throughout society, and seen as wonders of the world.

Some of these women were:

• Catherine of Siena (1347 – 1380) : she was said to live on a spoonful of herbs each day despite the orders from her confessor to eat something. She stuck a twig down her throat to vomit what she was forced to eat.
• Mary of Oignes
• Beatrice of Nazareth - she and Mary of Oignes vomited from the mere smell of meat.
• Columba of Rieti (fifteenth century) : she actually died of self starvation.
• Saint Veronica : she ate nothing for three days, but allowed herself to chew on five orange seeds on Friday in remembrance of the five wounds of Christ.
• Margaret of Cortuna
• Wilgefortis : she was the bearded saint. Some claim her facial hair was actually lanugo.

detailed info found in the book
Fasting Girls, by
Joan Jacobs Brumberg