Saint of the Day Profile

Catholic Saint of the Day Profile 

Saint Henry II
Profile
Son of Gisella of Burgundy and Henry II the Quarrelsome, Duke of Bavaria. Educated at the cathedral school in Hildesheim by bishop Wolfgang of Regensburg. Became Duke of Bavaria himself in 995 upon his father's death, which ended Henry's thoughts of becoming a priest. Ascended to the throne of Germany in 1002. Crowned King of Pavia, Italy on 15 May 1004. Married Saint Cunegunda, but was never a father. Some sources claim the two lived celibately, but there is no evidence either way.

Henry's brother rebelled against his power, and Henry was forced to defeat him on the battlefield, but later forgave him, and the two reconciled. Henry was crowned Holy Roman Emperor in 1014 by Pope Benedict VIII; he was the last of the Saxon dynasty of emperors. Founded schools, quelled rebellions, protected the frontiers, worked to establish a stable peace in Europe, and to reform the Church while respecting its independence. Fostered missions, and established Bamberg, Germany as a center for missions to Slavic countries. Started the construction of the cathedral at Basel, Switzerland; it took nearly 400 years to complete. Both Henry and Saint Cunegunda were prayerful people, and generous to the poor.

At one point he was cured of an unnamed illness by the touch of Saint Benedict of Nursia at Monte Cassino. He became somewhat lame in his later years. Widower. Following Cunegunda's death, he considered becoming a monk, but the abbot of Saint-Vanne at Verdun, France refused his application, and told him to keep his place in the world where he could do much good for people and the advancement of God's kingdom.

Born
6 May 972 at Albach, Hildesheim, Bavaria, Germany

Died
13 July 1024 at Pfalz Grona, near Göttingen, Saxony (in modern Germany) of natural causes.

Canonized
1146 by Pope Blessed Eugene III

Patronage
• against sterility
• childless people
• disabled, handicapped or physically challenged people
• dukes
• kings
• people rejected by religious orders
• diocese of Bamberg, Germany
• Basel, Switzerland
• Benedictine Oblates

Blog post courtesy:
http://catholicsaints.info/saint-henry-ii/


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