13 July

St Henry II (973-1024 AD)
Duke of Bavaria
King of Germany and Roman Emperor

Born: 6 May 973 AD, Bad Abbach, Germany
Died: 13 July 1024, Göttingen, Germany
Full name: Henry II
Spouse: Cunigunde of Luxembourg (m. 999 AD–1024) canonised in 1200 AD
Burial: Bamberg Cathedral
Parents: Henry II, Duke of Bavaria, Gisela of Burgundy
Siblings: Gisela of Hungary

St. Henry II, successively Duke of Bavaria, King of Germany and Emperor, devoted himself to the spread of religion by rebuilding churches and founding monasteries. Until the end of his life he displayed the virtues of a great saint. Together with his wife, St. Cunigunde, he founded the bishopric of Bamberg and, at his death in 1024, was buried in the cathedral there; his holy wife was laid by his side fifteen years later.

COLLECT PRAYER

O God, whose abundant grace prepared Saint Henry to be raised by you in a wonderful way from the cares of earthly rule to heavenly realms, grant, we pray, through his intercession, that amid the uncertainties of this world we may hasten towards you with minds made pure. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, for ever and ever.

Things to Do:

  • Read more about St. Henry and his wife, St. Cunegund.
  • Learn more about St. Henry here and here.
  • St. Henry was a Christian emperor who acted justly. It is all too obvious today what a danger it is to have leaders who do not value the God-given dignity and rights of each human person. Offer a Mass, make a holy hour or say a rosary for your elected officials.

St. Henry

Henry, surnamed the Pious, Duke of Bavaria, became successively King of Germany and Emperor of the Romans; but not satisfied with a mere temporal principality, he strove to gain an immortal crown, by paying zealous service to the eternal King. As emperor, he devoted himself earnestly to spreading religion, and rebuilt with great magnificence the churches which had been destroyed by the infidels, endowing them generously both with money and lands. He built monasteries and other pious establishments, and increased the income of others; the bishopric of Bamberg, which he had founded out of his family possessions, he made tributary to St. Peter and the Roman Pontiff.

Henry II crowned as Emperor by Pope Benedict VIII in 1014 (Source: Wikipedia)

When Benedict VIII, who had crowned him emperor, was obliged to seek safety in flight, Henry received him and restored him to his see.

Once when he was suffering from a severe illness in the monastery of Monte Cassino, St. Benedict cured him by a wonderful miracle. He endowed the Roman Church with a most copious grant, undertook in her defense a war against the Greeks, and gained possession of Apulia, which they had held for some time. It was his custom to undertake nothing without prayer, and at times he saw the angel of the Lord, or the holy martyrs, his patrons, fighting for him at the head of his army. Aided thus by the divine protection, he overcame barbarous nations more by prayer than by arms.

Hungary was still pagan; but Henry having given his sister in marriage to its King Stephen, the latter was baptized, and thus the whole nation was brought to the faith of Christ.

The Imperial saintly couple, Saint Henry II and Saint Cunigunde of Luxembourg, as depicted in 15th century (Source: Wikipedia)

He set the rare example of preserving virginity in the married state, and at his death restored his wife, St. Cunigunde, a virgin to her family.

He arranged everything relating to the glory or advantage of his empire with the greatest prudence, and left scattered throughout Gaul, Italy, and Germany, traces of his munificence towards religion. The sweet odor of his heroic virtue spread far and wide, till he was more celebrated for his holiness than for his imperial dignity. At length his life’s work was accomplished, and he was called by our Lord to the rewards of the heavenly kingdom, in the year of salvation 1024. His body was buried in the church of the blessed apostles Peter and Paul at Bamberg. God wished to glorify His servant, and many miracles were worked at his tomb. These being afterwards proved and certified, Eugenius III inscribed his name upon the catalogue of the saints.

—Excerpted from The Liturgical Year, Abbot Gueranger O.S.B.

Source: Catholic Culture

Tomb of Henry and Cunigunde by Tilman Riemenschneider (Source: Wikipedia)