Life of Saint Oria

The Life of Santa Oria is the work of Gonzalo de Berceo. Here is the story of a Benedictine nun who lived in seclusion in San Millán de Suso. The work, incomplete, presents two hundred and five stanzas; but the last twenty-one seem added: perhaps by Berceo himself, as many critics suppose.
In the introduction Berceo introduces Saint Oria and recounts her life up to the moment when his visions of the saint begin. He speaks of his homeland and his parents, relates his entry into the monastery and enumerates his virtues. Moreover, he attributes to these virtues the merits by which he will gain eternal happiness after death and the grace of vision in this life.
At the end of the introduction, the three parts—the three visions—on which the poem stands.
In the first, Santa Oria visits heaven. There he contemplates its inhabitants, its organization, its structure and the prize it has won with its works and that is reserved for it.
In the second vision, it is Mary, surrounded by virgins, who visits the penitent. In the meeting he tells her that his prayers and sacrifices have assured him of the prize and that his death is approaching, therefore.
In the third vision, Oria moves to the Mount of Olives and begins to enjoy eternal bliss there. It is then, at the end of the visit, when the death and burial of the inmate takes place. The brief epilogue therefore certifies his triumph.

Life of Sancta Oria, virgin

1. In the name of the Father who wanted to raise us,
E of Don Ihesu Christo who came to save us,
E del Spiritu Sancto lumbre to comfort,
Of a Holy Virgin I want to versify.

2. I want in my veger, maguer so already tired,
Of this holy Virgin to romanize her dictation,
May God for his plea be my repaid,
And I do not want vengeance to take from my sin.

3. Then in the beginning and in the first
To her merçet I ask, she be my guide,
Pray to the Glorious Mother Holy Mary,
Let it be our guard at night and day.

4. Essa Virgin preçiosa of whom we usually make,
It was from Villa Vellayo, according to what we read:
Amunna was his mother, written we have it,
Graçía (Garcia) was the father, in the letter we avemos.

5. Munno was his name, omne was well literate,
I sopo well his façienda: the fizo the dictation,
Haviagelo the mother all, well reasoned,
That he didn’t want to lie for a rich county.

6. Of suso we name it, agreevos podedes,
Sandwich was, yaçia between walls,
Havia vida lazrada qual entender podedes,
If you read his life, so you will prove it.

7. Holy were without doubt and iustos the relatives,
That were of such fixa engender meresçientes:
Of ninnes façia she very convenient misdeeds,
They were amazed at all the people

8. Commo diçe del apostol Sant Paulo la lection
It was this holy Virgin vessel of oraçion,
Ca God put in her fulfilled blessing,
E vido in the çielos mucha grant vision.

9. Well it is that bos say later in the entry
Qual nombre li pusieron quando fue baptizada
Commo was preçiosa rather than piedra preçiada
Name had gold, Oria was called.

10. We do in the prologue much delayed,
Let’s follow the estoria, this is aguisado,
The days are not big, private evening
Writing in darkness is a heavy mester.

Fragment of the work