Background
Douceline was born shortly after the death of Mary of Oignies, in 1215 or 1216, to a wealthy family, likely in the town of Digne in Provence, in the south of France. Her father, a wealthy merchant called Bérenguier (or Bérenger), was from Digne and her mother, Hugue, was from Barjols where the family lived when Douceline was a child. When her mother died around 1230, Douceline moved to Hyères with her father, probably to be closer to her brother Hugh who was a member of the town’s Franciscan monastery.
Career
Hugh was to become a well-known Franciscan theologian and preacher and was to have a significant role in assisting Douceline. A second brother died young leaving two daughters, Douceline and Marie, who later followed their aunt’s was of life. She subsequently founded a second house in the town of Hyères itself, closer to the Franciscans, whose church she and her ladies attended.
Then, around 1250, she established another community on the outskirts of Marseilles.
Douceline lived in the Marseilles house and continues as leader of the communities in both towns until her death in 1274. She was the focus of an intense cult in Provence after her death.
Louisiana vida de la benaurada sancta Doucelina has survived in a single, unique manuscript, which is now housed in the Bibliothèque Nationale in Paris, fonds français 13503. Joseph Hyacinthe Albanès translated the work into French in 1879.
An English translation was made in 2001. introduces a 13th-century woman mystic of great significance in the study of female spirituality in the middle ages.
Membership
The was probably written by Philippa de Porcellet, a member of Douceline"s community in Marseilles.
