hildegard was born into a noble family. her parents sent her to a monastery because she was the tenth child of the family. she took the veil (became a nun) at the age of 15. by the time she was 38 she had the title of “mother superior”. she founded (started) a monastery on the rupertsberg in the rhine valley near bingen. later she founded a daughter house on the other side of the river near rüdesheim. she travelled a lot and talked to many important people. she later had the title of “abbess”. after she died several popes suggested she should be made a saint, but this never happened. she does, though, have a feast day on september 17, which is celebrated in some parts of germany.