Embracing the Divine: Passion and Politics in Christian Middle East

Timeline

xv  Timeline 1571 Lesser Friars of the Holy Land (Franciscans) first arrive in Aleppo 1625 Jesuit missionaries first arrive in Aleppo c. 1670s Hindiyya’s grandparents migrate from northern Lebanon to Aleppo along with other Maronites 1695 First “modern” Maronite monastic order established in Mount Lebanon by Jibrail Hawwa (cousin of Hindiyya’s mother), Abdallah Qara‘li, and Yusuf al-Tibn 1720 Hindiyya al-‘Ujaimi is born in Aleppo 1728 Hindiyya has her first vision of Christ 1729 Future patriarch Yusuf Istifan is born in Ghusta, Mount Lebanon 1736 Lebanese Synod, the first major Maronite ecclesiastical conference in centuries; it was meant to reorganize the Maronite Church and bring it into closer adherence to the rules and institutional infrastructure of the Roman Catholic Church 1737 or 1743 Hindiyya’s mother passes away in an epidemic which struck Aleppo 1746 Hindiyya leaves Aleppo for Mount Lebanon 1746–48 Hindiyya resides in Dayr Ziyarat al-Adhra, a Jesuit convent in ‘Ayntura, Mount Lebanon 1748–50 Hindiyya resides in Dayr Mar Hrash, a Maronite convent overseen by Bishop Jirmanus Saqr, who becomes one of her main supporters xvi | Timeline 1750 Hindiyya establishes the Sacred Heart of Jesus order in the newly dedicated Bkerki convent; future patriarch Yusuf Istifan returns from the Maronite College in Rome to Mount Lebanon Jan. 1752 Pope Benedict XIV orders the dissolution of Hindiyya’s order and the destruction of all books and printed records pertaining to her and her order June 1752 Maronite bishops and Patriarch ‘Awwad reject the decision of Benedict XIV to dissolve Hindiyya’s order and disband the nuns; they place her and Katerina in separate convents under strict ecclesiastical supervision Apr.–Sept. 1753 First inquisition by Fr. Desiderio di Casabasciana 1754 New decision by Pope Benedict XIV, tempering his previous criticism but still recommending banishing Hindiyya to an isolated convent and appointing “devout and wise” confessors for her 1755 Brother Innocenzo’s failed mission to discipline and banish Hindiyya Feb. 1759 Hindiyya’s complete physical and spiritual union with Jesus Christ 1768 Patriarch Yusuf Istifan establishes the Sacred Heart of Jesus as an official church holiday 1768 Papal indulgence obtained from Pope Clement XIII for the Sacred Heart of Jesus confraternity June 1774 The Vatican issues the “Seven Edicts,” rebuking Patriarch Yusuf Istifan for refusing to submit himself to the authority of the Vatican, to desist from giving indulgences and permitting the consumption of meat on the holiday of the Sacred Heart, and to accept their resolution for the conflict between him and the bishops 1775 Pietro di Moretta arrives in Bkerki to begin implementing the Vatican’s edicts and to conduct an investigation of the events which took place in Bkerki 1775–77 Testimonials are traded between supporters and opponents of Hindiyya; affidavits surface about the “satanic Timeline | xvii fraternity” purportedly headed by Nassimeh and Wardeh Abou Badran, two nuns in the Bkerki convent June 1777 News of the death of Nassimeh Abou Badran and Wardeh the Aleppan, two nuns in the Bkerki convent, becomes public Oct. 1777 Hindiyya and her nuns are expelled from the Bkerki convent by Sa‘ad al-Khuri, the muddabir (secretary) of Emir Bashir, the ruler of Mount Lebanon 1778 Second inquisition by Pietro di Moretta and the final closure of the Bkerki convent and all other convents affiliated with the Sacred Heart of Jesus order July 1779 Final report by the Propaganda Fide on the Hindiyya affair; the council decrees the extraction of a confession from Hindiyya for her misdeeds, her banishment to an isolated convent, and the destruction of all her writings Sept. 1795 Patriarch Philippe Jumayyil issues a patriarchal circular threatening anyone who possessed copies of Hindiyya’s books with excommunication Feb. 13, 1798 Hindiyya passes away in the convent of Sayyidat al-Haqli ...