A MEDIEVAL EAST YORKSHIRE NEAR DEATH EXPERIENCE

The NDE of the boy Orm of Howden (1125).

We perhaps tend to  think of near death experiences (NDEs) as a modern phenomenon. In fact, though, they have a fairly long recorded history. One of the first NDEs is, for example, attributed to St Paul. The twelfth century NDE of the thirteen-year-old boy Orm of Howden was originally recorded by Sigar, priest of North Newbald. It was sent as part of a longer letter to Symeon, a famous historian of his day and collector of many stories of the 'marvellous'.

Orm's NDE followed a protected illness, possibly diabetes related. After waking from 'death', Orm said that he had been met in the afterlife by a 'venerable man…in shining robes'. This angelic guide had taken Orm up to the gates of Heaven which blazed with 'precious stones and gems' and shone with the 'purest gold'. Here Orm met the Archangel Michael and witnessed 'thousands upon thousands' of angels. He also saw what seems to have been a re-enactment of Christ's crucifixion. Orm next descended into Hell, 'full of stinking reek and gloom'. The pit of Hell was 'frightful [and] full of impenetrable fumes, an intolerable stench and deep blackness'.  Here, one of Satan's minions tried to cast Orm into the pit of Hell but the boy was saved by his angelic guide.
After the frightful scenes of Hell, Orm was taken to Paradise. This place was, said Orm, surrounded by a marble wall. Inside Orm saw a host of #holy children' beyond counting. They wore, he said, white clothes and 'robes of various colours'. Monks and 'quite a few priests' stood outside Paradise. These were not so well dressed or as joyful as those were inside the wall. After paradise, Orm again visited Heaven. He wanted to stay there, he said, but was told that it was not yet his time. He had to go back to the lad of the living. But 'reject evil and do good' and 'I shall take you hence in peace' said the angelic guide.guide.
Following his NDE Orm is reported to have lived for a few days longer. He was, however, so weak that he 'could barely speak' and did not ' again raise his head or pull himself upright'. He was buried in the cemetery of St Peter (of Howden) after, that was, a period of waiting by his relatives to ensure that this time he really had died.

Source: 'The Vision of Orm', ed. H. Farmer in Analecta
Bollandiana, 75 (1975).

Many thanks once again to Prof. D. Crouch for this excellent medieval East Yorkshire 'otherworld' vision.