A connection between alchemy and hagiography in the Mundus Symbolicus

Abstract

The relationship between alchemical and religious literature in general is beyond doubt. One should not exclude a certain connection between alchemy and hagiography. An example of this issue is found in the Latin translation of Mundus Symbolicus. There is
an addition in the section that concludes the part on distilled waters, where reference is made to the holy martyrs and Saint Afra of Augsburg. The purpose of this article is to analyze the alluded elements and provide an overview of the textual tradition that allows for this connection. Thus, it is proposed here that the encounter between alchemy and hagiography is due to the Renaissance idea of the doctrine of similarities, which still makes sense in a Baroque work like that of Filippo Picinelli. It is also concluded that the textual fragment from the translator, a German canon, is not random or accidental, but stems from his erudition and talent in engaging with both literary traditions. These traditions construct a narrative about purification with the aim of drawing the reader’s attention to the morality and virtue of the Catholic doctrine.