Christina the Astonishing, was born Christina Mirabilis in Brustem, Belgium in 1150 CE.

Born into poverty and orphaned shortly thereafter she was a child eccentric. At 21 she apparently had a massive seizure and was thought to have died. During the funeral she awoke and told the startled minister that she had been to 'heaven, hell and purgatory.' Afterwards, she became a nun.

She exhibited strange behavior all her life, such as seizures, 'smelling sin', climbing trees and rooftops, handling fire, strapping herself to a mill wheel to be dragged through the water, and strapped herself to a pillory to 'praise god'. Locals did not know what to think of her antics, so they recognized her as a saint. She died of natural causes at the age of 74 in 1224 CE.