MORELL, JULIENNE. - Dominican mystical writer, b. at Barcelona on 16 Feb. 1594, d. at Avignon on 26 June 1653.
At the age of seven she moved with her father to Lyons and, under the guidance of expert teachers, made very great progress in the knowledge of languages and sciences; so much so that she was able publicly to defend philosophical and scientific theses. She was therefore called “the doctoress” and “the prodigy of her century.” Having gone to Avignon, she entered the Dominican monastery of S. Prassede (15 Sept. 1608) and took her vows on 20 June 1610; she was mistress of novices, subprioress, and three times prioress (1636-39; 1642-45; 1648-51), setting an example of rare virtues.
Principal writings: Traité de la vie spirituelle par et Vincent Ferrier... avec des remarques et annotations... (Lyons 1617, Paris 1619); Exercices spirituels sur l'éternité (Avignon 1637; English trans., New York-Cincinnati 1945). The Dominican M.-J. Rousset published a new ed. of M.’s writings at the end of the 19th cent.