MORELL, JULIENNE

MORELL, JULIENNE. - Scrittrice mistica domenicana, n. a Barcellona il 16 febbr. 1594, m. ad Avignone il 26 giugno 1653.
MORELL, JULIENNE. - Scrittrice mistica domenicana, n. a Barcellona il 16 febbr. 1594, m. ad Avignone il 26 giugno 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 the sciences, so much so that she was able to publicly defend philosophical and scientific theses. She was therefore called “the lady doctor” and “the wonder of her age.” After going to Avignon, she entered the Dominican monastery of St Praxedes (15 Sept. 1608) and made her profession on 20 June 1610; she was mistress of novices, sub-prioress and three times prioress (1636-39; 1642-45; 1648-51), giving an example of rare virtue.

Principal works: Traité de la vie spirituelle par st 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 edition of Morell’s writings at the end of the 19th century.

BIBL.: Archivio Gen. dei Domenicani (Rome), 14th series, Book T, pp. 116-23; autobiographical notes and autographs of 10 March 1628; Quétif-Echard, II, pp. 845-46; Année Dominicaine, 1st ed. (Souèges), June, Amiens 1689, pp. 938-86; M.-J. Rousset, Le monastère de Ste-Praxxède à Avignon, Lyons 1876, pp. 213-235; id., La vén. mère J. M. dominicaine, sa vie, sa doctrine, son Institut, Lyons-Paris 1893.