Saint of the day July 13: Saint Henry II. Catholic Saints

Every July 13th is celebrated Saint Henry II, who was called “the Saint”, German king (1002-1024) who became emperor of the Holy Roman Empire. He is, in fact, the only saint of the Catholic Church to have held the title of “Emperor.”

Henry was at the head of the Holy Empire for more than a decade, between the years 1014 and 1024.

Saint Henry II was an oblate of the Order of Saint Benedict and is considered the patron of all oblates belonging to the Benedictine Order; He is also one of husbands who do not have children.

Servant of God, servant of all

His secular name was Heinrich Sacsen (Henricus Saxon), grandson of Emperor Charlemagne and the last monarch belonging to the lineage of Emperor Otto I (Saxon dynasty).

The history of the Church remembers him as the greatest apostle of peace of the first 20 years of the 11th century and as one of the most outstanding promoters of Western civilization. He was a collaborator of the papacy and protector of the monks of the monastery of Cluny.

Henry grew up in a family in which faith and devotion were rooted: his brother Bruno was a bishop, his sister Brigida was a nun, while his other sister, Gisela, married Saint Stephen, king of Hungary.

holy emperor

The saint was born on May 6, 973. His parents were Henry II, the Quarrelsome, Duke of Bavaria; and Gisela, daughter of Duke Conrad of Burgundy. His education was entrusted from very early on to Saint Wolfgang, Bishop of Regensburg, who formed his intelligence and will in solid Christian piety.

Following the death of his father, Henry inherited the dukedom in 995; and when his cousin, Emperor Otto III, died without leaving any heirs, the prince-electors judged that no one else was better prepared to be king of Germany than he. In this way, Henry was elected sovereign in 1002.

Twelve years later, Henry II was crowned Holy Roman Emperor alongside his wife, Saint Cunegonde, in St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome.

To reach that point, Henry had left behind him a trail of greatness: he undertook tough military campaigns against the Principality of Poland and fought against the Byzantines, and he did not stop until he saw the borders of his kingdom consolidated. And if this were not enough, he managed to restore Pope Benedict VIII to his position.

Be holy wherever you touch

For his defense of Christian values ​​and culture, Henry II earned the nickname “the Pious” or “the Saint.” He was convinced that Christianity is capable of enriching the lives of people and bringing out the best in them. He also sought to extend the Christian faith beyond its borders, promoting and supporting the Catholic monarchs of Europe.

A clear example of this occurred when King Stephen of Hungary asked for the hand of his sister Gisela. To authorize the marriage, the emperor made it a condition that Stephen support the Catholic Church within his kingdom, something that this king would more than fulfill, reaching the altars, too.

To govern is to serve one’s brothers

It is true that Saint Henry II encouraged the construction of temples and monasteries as part of his public works and that many of these works speak for him to this day, but his most important legacy may be another: having governed letting the light of faith and God’s grace inspire your decisions.

Henry II died suddenly on 13 July 1024 aged 51; He was canonized in 1146 by Pope Eugene III. Few rulers have enjoyed as good a reputation in life as he, and even fewer are those who were respected and loved by his subjects as he was.

If you want to know more about Saint Henry II, you can read this article from the Catholic Encyclopedia: https://ec.aciprensa.com/wiki/San_Enrique_II.

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