Saint of the day November 16: Saint Gertrude. Catholic Saints

Every November 16 the Church celebrates the feast of Saint Gertrude, the Great (1256-1302); or Saint Gertrude of Helfta, as she is also known, or simply “Gertrude Magna”, seer of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. Gertrudis was a Cistercian nun, mystic and writer.

Because of the type of spiritual union she developed with the Lord, Gertrude Magna is considered the patron saint of mystics. In America she is the patron saint of the city of Puebla de los Ángeles (Mexico). She is also known for being an intercessor to have a good death and a great rescuer of souls from purgatory.

Hero of the revelations of the Sacred Heart

Saint Gertrude was born on January 6, 1256 in Eisleben (present-day Germany). At the age of five she was sent to the Benedictine monastery of Helfta, where Saint Matilda of Ringelheim (896-968) once stayed as abbess and teacher. There, Gertrude became friends with another Matilde: Santa Mechtilde (Matilda) of Hackeborn (1241-1298), another fervent devotee of the Heart of Jesus.

Many centuries before Christ appeared to Saint Mary Margaret of Alacoque (1647-1690), whose visions date back to the 17th century – being the best known -, Saint Gertrude had mystical experiences with the Sacred Heart of Jesus in the 13th century.

The heartbeats of Our Lord

In daily life, Gertrude was a testimony of charity and benevolence, a very simple and generous woman, accustomed to frequent communion and constantly asking for the intercession of Saint Joseph. God granted her enormous graces, such as having had two very particular visions throughout her life, in which Jesus Christ, Our Lord, allowed her to rest her head on his chest and hear the beating of his divine heart.

The saint had many other particular revelations. On one occasion the apostle Saint John appeared to her, the beloved disciple, to whom Gertrude asked why, having been the first to lay his head on the Lord’s chest at the Last Supper, he had not written anything about the Heart of Jesus.

The evangelist responded that the revelation of the Sacred Heart of Jesus was reserved for later times, when the heart of the world has cooled to such an extent that it needs to be revived by divine love.

mystical work

Five books are attributed to Saint Gertrude that make up what is known as the Herald of God’s loving kindnessalso called the Revelations of Saint Gertrude. The first of the five was written by friends close to the saint, but under her direction; while the second and the remaining ones were written by herself, although always with some help. In them are recorded his mystical experiences and his teachings about the meaning of suffering: “Adversity is the spiritual ring that seals the betrothal with God.” Likewise, its recommendations regarding spiritual union with Christ through his Sacred Heart are contained.

Some prayers spread during the 17th century are also attributed to Saint Gertrude, which achieved great popularity, although there is no absolute certainty about their real authorship.

After having gone through a long period of illness – about a decade – Saint Gertrude departed to the presence of God on November 17, 1301 (circ. 1302). Pope Clement

Prayer for the souls in purgatory

The Lord told Saint Gertrude that with the prayer below she could free a thousand souls from purgatory each time she prayed it. Pity to the Sacred Heart of Jesus will always be linked to the representation of his mercy. Jesus gave himself not for the salvation of some, but for that of the entire human race.

«Eternal Father,
I offer you the most precious blood of your Divine Son Jesus,
in union with the Masses celebrated today throughout the world
for all the blessed souls of purgatory
for all the sinners of the world.
For sinners in the universal Church,
for those in my own home and within my family.
Amen”.

…

If you want to know more about Saint Gertrude, we recommend this article from the Catholic Encyclopedia: https://ec.aciprensa.com/wiki/Santa_Gertrudis_la_Grande.