… the agony aunts of their day

A few quotes from The Friendly Recluse: Medieval hermits were the agony aunts of their day.

Hermits, anchorites and anchoresses (men or women who lived enclosed in a small cell in a church) were holy figures with looser ties to ecclesiastical authorities and more autonomy than those who lived in formal religious communities. … their nature was one of isolation and ‘the solitary combat of the desert’.

While the degree of social contact medieval recluses had differed, there is evidence to suggest that they were the agony aunts of their day, often flying in the face of the recommendations of religious authorities. … The scholar of medieval devotional literature, Michelle M. Sauer, has said that while ‘The anchorite, in theory, was utterly alone in the cell … the reality of this lifestyle was quite different’ and ‘anchoresses were sought out by devout Christians and courted by towns, becoming a visible sign of holiness and protection’

The whole article is interesting – a good introduction to some of the literature. And, the main purpose, a town advertising for hermit/anchorite is a solid idea that many more modern towns should consider.