Mysterious letter from 17th-Century nun deciphered after centuries.
A mysterious missive penned by a 17th-century nun, purportedly under the influence of diabolical forces, has finally been decoded.
Sister Maria Crocifissa della Concezione, a 31-year-old nun residing at the convent of Palma di Montechiaro in Sicily, allegedly composed the eerie letter during a period of possession.
Nun dedicated to God at age 15, joining Benedictine convent.
Sister Maria’s journey into the cloistered life commenced at the tender age of 15 when she pledged herself to the service of God within the Benedictine convent.
Born Isabella Tomasi in 1645, she belonged to a prominent aristocratic family before joining the convent at Palma di Montechiaro.
The convent itself, established in 1659 by Isabella’s family, was a place of severe piety and strict adherence to Benedictine rules.
The convent was often the epicenter of supernatural claims, with nuns frequently reporting visions and spiritual battles, reflecting the intense religious atmosphere of the time.
In 1676, the convent was already notorious for its purported hauntings and demonic disturbances, with Sister Maria’s possession being one of the most sensational episodes.
The haunting legends of 17th-century convents.
The 1600s was a period of intense religious fervor and many convents were strict, isolated, and deeply focused on piety and spiritual discipline.
This atmosphere could contribute to heightened emotions and experiences among the nuns.
People in the 17th century widely believed in ghosts, demons, and other supernatural entities.
Cases of alleged demonic possession were relatively common, and convents were no exception.
The church performed exorcisms to combat these supposed demonic forces, which further fueled beliefs in hauntings and supernatural occurrences.
For example, in Loudun, France, a famous case of mass demonic possession occurred among the Ursuline nuns in 1632, leading to widespread panic and numerous exorcisms.
Possessed nun found with ink-stained face and bizarre letter.
In another case, on August 11, 1676, Sister Maria was discovered sprawled on the floor of her cell.
Her countenance was obscured by ink and she was clutching a parchment adorned with a perplexing amalgamation of symbols and characters.
According to contemporary accounts, the nuns believed Sister Maria to be a vessel of divine and demonic communication, her nightly fits seen as battles between celestial and infernal forces.
17th-nentury nun claimed devil wrote her a letter.
Historical accounts suggest that Sister Maria asserted the missive emanated from the devil himself.
He endeavoured to lure her away from the path of righteousness and into the abyss of malevolence.
Scholars crack code of nun’s enigmatic 14-line message.
The letter, spanning 14 lines, had confounded scholars for centuries, but recent breakthroughs have shed light on its enigmatic contents.
Director of Ludum reveals insights into nun’s psychological state.
Daniele Abate, Director of Ludum, shared insights with Live Science, emphasizing the necessity of understanding the psychological underpinnings of the nun’s state.
Abate postulated that the letter appeared to employ a form of shorthand, possibly indicative of a unique vocabulary fashioned from ancient scripts familiar to the nun.
Researchers use software to decipher ancient symbols.
Employing sophisticated software, researchers dissected the cryptic symbols, unveiling a tapestry woven from languages spanning Greek, Latin, Runic, and Arabic origins.
Abate elucidated the painstaking process, involving the identification of recurring syllables and graphisms to devise a decryption algorithm.
Contrary to expectations, the letter yielded a coherent message.
Letter denounces Holy Trinity and references Greek mythology.
Sister Maria decried the Holy Trinity as ‘dead weights’.
She also prophesied the certainty of Styx, the river of the underworld, amidst reflections on mortal liberation.
One of the most chilling lines read: “God thinks he can free mortals. The system works for no one. Perhaps now, Styx is certain,” invoking the ancient Greek river that separated the living from the dead.
The inclusion of Styx added a layer of mythological reference, hinting at Sister Maria’s deep-seated fears and theological struggles.
Nun’s nightly demonic battles hint at mental health struggles.
Drawing from historical accounts, Abate inferred that Sister Maria’s tumultuous nightly battles against the devil hinted at underlying mental health afflictions.
The unveiling of this demonic missive serves as a chilling reminder of the intersection between spirituality and the human psyche, shrouded in the shadows of centuries past.
Letter seen as significant religious artifact for centuries.
The convent at Palma di Montechiaro remains a historical site, attracting those intrigued by its eerie past and the mysterious letter that has finally been deciphered.
As scholars continue to study the letter and its implications, it stands as a testament to the rich tapestry of history, faith, and the human psyche.