UGO di BALMA (BALMEY) or di DORCHE. — Carthusian, monk and subsequently prior of Meyriat, toward the end of the 13th century.
He wrote a treatise on Theologia mystica, also called De Tripliet via ad sapientiam, falsely attributed to St. Bonaventure, translated into Italian as early as the 14th century, and into other languages. Without doubt, U. di B. is one of the first ascetical writers to describe the interior life according to the three progressive ways: purgative, illuminative, and unitive, which later became traditional. He also treats of the “aspirations,” that is, ejaculatory prayers (v.), which he often calls anagogici mutus. At the end of the treatise he raises the question of whether a purely affective prayer, without any act of the intellect, is possible; and he answers affectively.