The fire of love

Heralded as one of the great English mystics of the Middle Ages, Richard Rolle's religious adventures have been venerated since the 14th century. In the Fire of Love, Rolle describes his divine encounters by dividing the nature of the experience into three unique stages. Rolle describes the first stage as the sensation of spiritual fire, a glowing presence accompanied by a feeling of physical warmth in his chest. Rolle says that the second stage is marked by an overwhelming sense of peace and joy, a taste of sweetness in his soul. Finally, Rolle explains how in the third stage the glorious song of angels resounds, signifying his union with God's divine love. Rolle's artistic re-telling of his encounters enlightens us to the powerful religious experiences of Christian mystics during the medieval period.