What Is St Gertrude The Great The Patron Saint Of

St. Gertrude the Great – Saints & Angels

Gertrude the Great, also known as St. Gertrude of Helfta, was born on January 6, 1256, in the German city of Helfta. In the end, she decided to follow the Lord by seeking a her vocation as a Benedictine Nun. In prayer, she developed a close contact with the Lord that earned her the title of mystic. Additionally, she was revered for her theological abilities. Despite the fact that little is known about Gertrude’s youth, it is commonly acknowledged that she was enrolled at the Cistercian abbey school of Helfta in Saxony at the age of four, under the supervision of Abbess Gertrude of Hackerborn, when she was just four years old.

It was founded in the early 15th century.

St.

In spite of their differences, Gertrude and Mechtilde formed an unbreakable friendship that only became stronger with time, allowing Mechtilde to have significant influence over Gertrude.

• She worked hard and diligently at her studies, and she obtained a broad education in a variety of areas.
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• Gertrude had her first set of visions when she was 25 years old, and they would continue until the day she died.
• Her emphasis have shifted away from secular teachings and toward a more in-depth study of Scripture and theological doctrine.

The feast of St.

She could hear the pounding of Jesus’ heart as she lay her head near the gash on his side where he had been wounded.

John responded affirmatively.

In the following centuries, she rose to become one of the greatest mystics of the 13th century.

Mechtilde, embraced what is known as “nuptial mysticism,” in which she saw herself as the wife of Christ, a tradition that is still followed today.

Gertrude attended at the deathbeds and lamented the deaths of both Abbess Gertrude of Hackeborn in 1291 and her dearly loved St.

Gertrude’s health began to decline, yet she remained faithful to the Lord and continued to express her love for him.

However, you, Jesus, have chosen to grant me the priceless familiarity of your friendship by opening to me in every way that most noble casket of your divinity, which is your divine Heart, and offering me in great abundance all of the treasures that are contained within it.

Gertrude died a virgin on November 17, 1301, and she was reunited with her Bridegroom for the rest of her life.

The Legatus Memorialis Abundantiae Divinae Pietatis, which has been in existence for the longest time, is one of her best-known writings (The Herald of Divine Love).

The Herald of Divine Love is a collection of five novels that are available separately.

It is a noteworthy work of writing since it offers thorough descriptions of Gertrude’s visions as well as an adoration of Christ’s heart, among other things.

Despite the fact that Gertrude was never officially canonized, the Catholic Church established a liturgical office of prayer and readings in her honor in Rome.

Gertrude the Great is the patroness of the West Indies, and she is frequently invoked to intercede for souls in purgatory, according to Catholic tradition. Her feast day is observed on November 16, which is her birthday.

Our Patron Saint

Her name is Gertrude, and she is the only female Saint who has been addressed as “the Great.” The feast day is on November 16th. Souls in Purgatory, living sinners, and the West Indies are all patronized by St. Christopher. St. Gertrude the Great is invoked for the souls in purgatory as well as for sinners already on the earth. When Our Lord appeared to St. Gertrude the Great, he assured her that every time she recited the following prayer, 1000 souls would be released from purgatory. As a result, the prayer was expanded to include live sinners as well.

“I offer you the Most Precious Blood of Your Divine Son, Jesus,” I replied.

A Word from BENEDICT XVI

Saint Peter’s Square, a large general audience This coming Wednesday, the 6th of October 2010. “Saint Gertrude the Great, about whom I would like to speak today, takes us back to the Monastery of Helfta this week, where numerous Latin-German masterpieces of holy writing were created by women, and where we will be spending the rest of the week.” Gertrude was a creature of this earth. In recognition of her cultural and evangelical importance, she is considered to be one of the most famous mystics of all time, and the only German woman to be dubbed “Great.” Her life and philosophy have had a significant effect on Christian spirituality.

1. She was in deep communication with God, both in her contemplation and in her willingness to go to the aid of others who were in need.
2. According to Gertrude, the Lord personally disclosed to her the significance of this first uprooting, saying, “I have selected you as my habitation because I am happy because all that is lovable in you is my labor.
3. 76-77).
4. If we don’t know much about her background, she tells us about her adolescent loves, which included literature, music, and singing, as well as the art of miniature painting, which she found enthralling.
5. She admits that she was careless on several occasions; she acknowledges her mistakes and sincerely begs for pardon for them.
6. Some characteristics of her temperament and defects were to remain with her till the end of her life, causing some people to be perplexed as to why the Lord had shown such a great affection for her.
7. Suddenly, she had a vision of a young guy who, in order to help her through the tangle of thorns that had encircled her soul, grabbed hold of her arm and led her away.

Ibid., II, 1, p. 89 Looking forward to an eternity of communion, she departed her earthly life on 17 November 1301 or 1302, when she was around 46 years old.”

Gertrude the Great – Wikipedia

Saint Gertrude
Saint Gertrude of Helfta in ecstasy
Virgin, Mystic
Born	January 6, 1256Eisleben,Thuringia,Holy Roman Empire
Died	c. 1302 Helfta,Saxony, Holy Roman Empire
Venerated in

Canonized	1677 (equipollent) byInnocent XI
Feast

• The Catholic Church celebrates on November 16
• The Episcopal Church celebrates on November 19.

Attributes	crown, lily, taper
Patronage	West Indies

Gertrude the Great (also known as Saint Gertrude of Helfta; Italian: Santa Gertrude, German: Gertrud die Große von Helfta, Latin: Sancta Gertrudis; January 6, 1256 – November 17, 1302) was a German Benedictine nun and mystic who lived from 1256 to 1302. The Catholic Church and the Episcopal Church both acknowledge her as a saint, as does the rest of the world. Gertrude is honored in the Episcopal Calendar of Saints on November 19, and she is also commemorated in the General Roman Calendar, which allows for optional celebrations across the Roman Rite on November 16, as a memorial.

Life

Gertrude was born on the Feast of the Epiphany, January 6, 1256, in the town of Eisleben, in the German state of Thuringia. Little is known about her early life (within theHoly Roman Empire). The abbess of St. Mary at Helfta, Gertrude of Hackeborn, directed the monastery school, which she attended from the age of four. There has been significant disagreement about whether this monastery is more appropriately defined as Benedictine or Cistercian. Parents who were ardent in their faith may have presented her as a childoblate to the church, according to legend.

• Gertrude was put in the care of Mechtilde, the younger sister of the Abbess Gertrude, and she eventually became a member of the monastic community.
• In addition to being well-versed in scripture, the Church Fathers like as Augustine and Gregory the Great, and more modern spiritual authors such as Richard and Hugh of St Victor, William of St Thierry, and Bernard of Clairvaux are also well-versed in the Herald’s Books 1 through 3.
• In 1281, when she was 25 years old, she had the first of a series of visions that would continue throughout her life and would profoundly alter the trajectory of her life.
• Gertrude committed herself intensely to personal prayer and meditation, and she began composing spiritual treatises for the benefit of her monastic sisters as a result of her devotion.
• Together with her companion and instructor Mechtilde, she studied a spirituality known as “nuptial mysticism,” in which she came to consider herself as the “Bride of Christ,” a title she now holds.
• It is customary to commemorate her feast day on November 16, although the precise date of her death is uncertain; the November date was chosen because of a misunderstanding with Abbess Gertrude of Hackeborn.

One of her biographers, Gasparo Antonio Campaccio, worked hard to compile his own ‘Discorso Cronologico’ (Chapters 154–160) on her life, in which he stated that she died on November 17, 1334, and that the actual date of her death remained unknown.

Works

Gertrud von Helfta, Pfarrkirche Merazhofen Chorgestühl, Merazhofen, Germany Gertrude authored a large number of writings, yet just a few have survived to the present day. The Legatus Memorialis Abundantiae Divinae Pietatis (also known in English as The Herald of Divine Love or The Herald of God’s Loving-Kindness, and sometimes referred to as Life and Revelations), which was written in part by other nuns, has survived for the longest period of time among the religious texts. There’s also her library of Spiritual Exercises to look at.

It is also probable that Gertrude was the author of a portion of Mechthild of Hackeborn’s revelations, which are contained in the Book of Special Grace, which was written by her.

‘Book 2’ is considered to be the heart of the work, and it was written by Gertrude herself; she claims to have begun writing it on Maundy Thursday, 1289.

In order to serve as an introduction to the entire collection, Book 1 was written just before or after Gertrude’s death.

Although the Spiritual Exercises were instituted centuries ago, their significance continues to this day because they are grounded in the themes and rites of the Catholic liturgy for occasions such as baptism, conversion, commitment, discipleship, union with God, praise of God, and preparation for death.

Devotion to the Sacred Heart

Dame Gertrud von Helfta, Pfarrkirche Chorgestühl, Merazhofen, Germany Gertrude wrote a great deal, however just a few of her works have survived. The Legatus Memorialis Abundantiae Divinae Pietatis (also known in English as The Herald of Divine Love or The Herald of God’s Loving-Kindness, and also referred to as Life and Revelations), which was composed in part by other nuns, has survived for the longest period of time in existence. Furthermore, her collection of Spiritual Exercises is still on the premises.

1. Mechthild of Hackeborn’s revelations, which are contained in the Book of Special Grace, may also have been written in part by Gertrude, which is a distinct possibility.
2. This book, Book 2, constitutes the heart of the work and was authored by Gertrude herself; she claims to have begun writing it on Maundy Thursday, 1289.
3. Gertrude’s confessor may have written Book 1 as an introduction to the entire collection, but it is far more probable that the author of Book 1 was another Helfta nun.
4. The significance of the Spiritual Exercises continues to this day since they are based on the themes and rites of the Catholic liturgy for events such as baptism, conversion, commitment, discipleship, unity with God, praise of God, and preparation for death, among other occasions.

Even today, anybody who wishes to enhance their spiritually via prayer and meditation may benefit from Gertrude’sSpiritual Exercises, which are still available online.

Later reputation and influence

Gertrude’s works appear to have gone nearly completely after her death, leaving no trace behind. Only five full copies of the Herald have survived, the earliest of which was penned in 1412, and only two of these manuscripts are intact in their entirety. As a result of the invention of printing, Gertrude became far more well-known, and editions of her work were published in Latin, Italian, and German in the sixteenth century. Her popularity soared in seventeenth-century France, when her faith in and ardent love for God served as effective antidotes to the rise of Jansenism in the country.

• The disclosures of Gertrude were read aloud to Philip II at the Escorial in Spain by Bishop Diego of Tarragona, who was the confessor of the king at the time of his death.
• Teresa of vila’s confessor, Francisco Ribera, advised that she adopt Gertrude as her spiritual mistress and guide.
• The biography of Gertrude, written by the Spanish Jesuit Alonso de Andrade, is considered to be the pinnacle of Spanish female mysticism, of which Gertrude and her ‘Revelations’ were an evident forerunner and provided Teresa of Avila a medieval predecessor.
• During the nineteenth century, his Congregation of Solesmes was responsible for the majority of the research done on Gertrude.

Veneration

Miguel Cabrera’s painting, Saint Gertrude, was completed in 1763. Despite the fact that Gertrude was never formally canonized, the Catholic Church established a liturgical office of prayer, readings, and songs in her honor in 1606. The Feast of Saint Gertrude was instituted in the Catholic Church by Pope Clement XII, and it is commemorated today on November 16, the anniversary of her death, on which she died. Some religious organizations, like as the Benedictines, observe her feast day on November 17, which was initially selected but was already occupied by Gregory Thaumaturgus, whom Benedict XIV thought unworthy to be deposed by a woman in the eyes of the Pope.

When Pope Benedict XIV bestowed the title “the Great” on her, he did so to separate her from Gertrude of Hackeborn and to acknowledge the depth of her spiritual and theological insight.

Gertrude expressed “heartfelt sympathy for the souls in purgatory” and advised people to pray for these souls.

Several versions of the following prayer are attributed to Gertrude, and it is frequently depicted on her prayer card:Eternal Father, I offer Thee the Most Precious Blood of Thy Divine Son, Jesus, in union with all the Masses said throughout the world today, for all the Holy Souls in Purgatory, for sinners everywhere, for sinners throughout the universal Church, and for those in my own home and family.

Amen.

Patronage

A petition from King Philip IV of Spain led to her being named Patroness of the West Indies; her feast day is celebrated with great pomp in Peru, and the town of Santa Gertrudis de lo de Morawain New Mexico was founded in her honor and is named after her.

Legacy

• In succeeding decades, Gertrude the Great was frequently mistaken with Gertrude of Hackeborn, abbess of St Mary at Helfta
• As a result, she is sometimes wrongly portrayed in art clutching an acrosier. A community of about 50 professed Benedictine nuns lives at the Monastery of St. Gertrude in Cottonwood, Idaho
• Parishes dedicated to St. Gertrude can be found in Washington, Missouri
• Cincinnati, Ohio
• Kingsville, Texas
• Woodstock, New Brunswick, Canada
• Franklin Park, Illinois
• Vandergrift, Pennsylvania
• And Chicago, Illinois. Saint Gertrude High School is a Catholic college preparatory day school for young women in grades 9–12 in Richmond, Virginia
• Saint Gertrude Church in Firies, Killarney, County Kerry, Ireland
• Saint Gertrude the Great Catholic School (TK-8th Grade) and Parish in Bell Gardens, California

See also

• Mystics of the Christian faith
• Saint Mechtilde of Hackeborn
• Saint Mechtilde of Hackeborn Mary, Mother of the Divine Heart, pray for us.

Notes

1. A brief history of myself at Franciscan Media
2. Her biographer claims that she was “in her fifth year,” which has led some to believe that she was five years old at the time of her death. See Alexandra Barrett’s ‘Introduction’ in Gertrud the Great of Helfta’s The Herald of God’s Loving-Kindness: Books One and Two (Kalamazoo, 1991), p10
3. Gertrud the Great of Helfta’s ‘Introduction’ in Gertrud the Great of Helfta’s The Herald of God’s Loving-Kindness: Books One and Two (Kalam This has been a source of considerable controversy in Gertrude studies conducted in the twentieth century. Although Helfta was a Benedictine monastery in the strictest sense, it was heavily impacted by the Cistercian reform, which highlights the absence of clear-cut differences between religious orders in Europe at the time. As was the case with many other Benedictine nunneries that followed the Rule of St Benedict, Helfta was heavily affected by Cistercian practices and traditions (and was in fact founded in 1258 by a group of nuns from Halberstadt who had adopted Cistercian customs). Nonetheless, it was not, and could not have been, a legitimate Cistercian monastery because the General Chapter of Citeaux had forbidden any further acceptance of nuns’ convents into their Order in 1228 due to the fact that the monks were already overburdened by the number of nuns under their care at the time. As a result, Helfta could not have been a member of the Cistercian order. It is obvious, however, that Helfta’s traditions appear to have been similar to those of Citeaux, and it is certain that the works of Bernard of Clairvaux had a significant impact on Helfta’s culture. However, it is fascinating to observe that both Gertrude and Mechtilde are virtually uniformly shown in black, regardless of whether they were wearing a black ‘Benedictine’ or a white ‘Cistercian’ habit. Dominicans served as the spiritual directors of the monastery, who were neither Benedictines nor Cistercians in affiliation. See, for example, Sr Maximilian Marnau’s ‘Introduction’ in Gertrude of Helfta’s The Herald of Divine Love (New York: Paulist Press, 1993), p10
4. Caroline Bynum Walker’s Jesus as Mother (Berkeley and Los Angeles, 1982), pp174-5
5. Ab”CATHOLIC ENCYCLOPEDIA: St. Gertrude the Great” (Catholic Encyclopedia). www.newadvent.org. retrieved on August 18, 2017
6. Sr Maximilian Marnau, ‘Introduction’, in Gertrude of Helfta, The Herald of Divine Love, (New York: Paulist Press, 1993), p6
7. Ab”ST. GERTRUDE THE GREAT: Catholic News Agency (CNA)”
8. Ab”ST. GERTRUDE THE GREAT: Catholic News Agency (CNA)” retrieved on August 18, 2017
9. “Saint of the Day,” by Leonard Foley O.F.M. (updated by Pat McCloskey O.F.M.), published by Franciscan Media (ISBN 978-0-86716-887-7)
10. Campacci, Gasparo Antonio (Gasparo Antonio Campacci) (1748). The life of S. Gertrude Vergine, Badessa dell’Ordine di S. Benedetto, who was known as “the Great and the Magnificent” because of her heroic virtue. Gasparo Antonio Campacci, Prete and Dottore di Sacra Teologia, as well as a number of other sources, described it. Divisa in Due Parte (Divisa in Two Parts). In the first act, the hero’s heroic virtues and deeds are described. The divine Ammaestraments were received by Gesù Cristo in his Amatissimo Sposo in the Second Century. The one, and the other are extremely useful to anyone who wishes to profit from the Spirit’s path. First and foremost, the first part of the sentence is “parte prima” (first part of the sentence is “first part of the sentence”). Niccol Pezzana is the mayor of Venice. In Gertrude of Helfta, The Herald of Divine Love, (New York: Paulist Press, 1993), p.12, Sr Maximilian Marnau’s ‘Introduction’ is quoted as follows: “Introduction.” Marnau argues that Book 1 was composed after Gertrude’s death, which would support this theory. As suggested by Alezandra Barrett, the absence of any reference of Gertrude’s death in Book 1 shows that it was perhaps written before her death was revealed. The introduction to Gertrud the Great of Helfta: The Herald of God’s Loving-Kindness: Books One and Two (Kalamazoo, 1991), p17
11. Abc”Bossert, Sr. Evangela. “St. Gertrude of Helfta,” Monastery of St. Gertrude, Cottonwood, Idaho.” The original version of this article was published on May 16, 2013. “Illiniois Medieval Association – EMS” (Illiniois Medieval Association – Emergency Medical Services) was retrieved on August 18, 2017. Mark W. Lynn Phd, Mark W., “History of the Feast of the Sacred Heart of Jesus”, Knights of Columbus-Florida State Council, retrieved on 2020-08-23
12. Mark W. Lynn Phd, Mark W., “History of the Feast of the Sacred Heart of Jesus”, Knights of Columbus-Florida State Council, retrieved on 2020-08-23
13. Mark W. Lynn Phd, Mark W., “History of the Feast of the Archived from the original on 2014-02-01 at the Wayback Machine
14. P.43 in Marnau’s book
15. (1739). XV November in honor of S. Gertrudis Virginis, and the Abbatissa of the Order of S. Benedicti (November XV). Giuseppe Francesco Ferri’s Duplex in Rome and Macerata is part of the Lesser Feasts & Fasts 2018 exhibition. 580–582
16. General Convention, 2018, pp. 27–580
17. Kevin Knight is a writer who lives in the United Kingdom (January 9, 2009). “St. Gertrude the Great,” as she is known. The beginning of a new year
18. Paul O’Sullivan is the author of this work (March 4, 1936). In the book “Read Me or Rue It,” there is a prayer by St. Gertrude the Great. The Library of Our Lady of the Rosary
19. “St. Gertrude Parish, Washington, Missouri,” says the narrator. The original version of this article was published on January 6, 2017. retrieved on August 18, 2017
20. “St. Gertrude the Great – St. Gertrude Parish” is an abbreviation. www.stgertrude.org. The original version of this article was published on January 6, 2017. “Welcome!” says the narrator on the 18th of August, 2017. “St. Gertrude High School, Richmond, Virginia,” according to the information retrieved on August 18, 2017. On June 2, 2013, the original version of this article was archived. “Our Parish – St. Gertrude the Great Catholic School.” Retrieved on August 18, 2017. “Our Parish – St. Gertrude the Great Catholic School.”

References

• Gertrude of Helfta, The Herald of Divine Love, translated and edited by Margaret Winkworth, with an introduction by Sister Maximilian Marnau and a preface by Louis Bouyer, is a work of fiction set in the medieval period. Spiritual classics from the Western tradition. The Paulist Press (New York) published a book in 1993 called

Further reading

• Gertrude the Great of Helfta’s Spiritual Exercises, translated and introduced by Gertrud Jaron Lewis and Jack Lewis, are now available in paperback. Cistercian Fathers series no. 49, (Kalamazoo: Cistercian Publications, 1989)
• Gertrud the Great of Helfta, The Herald of God’s Loving-Kindness, books 1 and 2, translated with an introduction by Alexandra Barratt
• Cistercian Fathers series no. 49, (Kalamazoo: Cistercian Publications, 1989)
• Cistercian Fathers series no. 49, (Kalamazoo: C Cistercian Fathers series no. 35, (Kalamazoo, MI: Cistercian Publications, 1991)
• Gertrud the Great of Helfta, The Herald of God’s Loving-Kindness, book 3, translated with an introduction by Alexandra Barratt
• Cistercian Fathers series no. 35, (Kalamazoo, MI: Cistercian Publications, 1991)
• Cistercian Fathers series no. 35, (Kalamazoo Gertrude, the Great, Saint (Kalamazoo, MI: Cistercian Publications, 1999)
• Cistercian Fathers series no. 63 (Kalamazoo, MI: Cistercian Publications, 1999)
• (2020). Alexandra Barratt is a writer who lives in the United Kingdom (ed.). Book 5 of The Herald of God’s Loving Kindness series. The Liturgical Press, Kalamazoo, Michigan, ISBN 978-0-87907-186-8

External links

• “On St. Gertrude,” Benedict XVI’s general audience address on October 6, 2010
• It is possible to read the complete text of Saint Gertrude the Great’s Life and Revelations online. Gilbert Dolan is the author of this work. St. Gertrude the Great, SandsCo., London, 1913
• St. Gertrude of Helfta, Christian Iconographyweb site
• St. Gertrude

7 Interesting Things You Should Know About St. Gertrude the Great

It is the feast of St. Gertrude the Immense, a Benedictine nun whose great compassion for the Holy Souls in Purgatory and devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus earned her the moniker “the Great.” On November 16, the Church commemorates the life of St. Gertrude. Here are some other intriguing facts about her that you might not have known.

Gertrude was born in the same town as Martin Luther

Gertrude was born on the Feast of the Epiphany in Eisleben, Germany, in 1256, more than two centuries before Martin Luther. She did, however, live at the same time as several notable saints, like St. Thomas Aquinas, St. Francis of Assisi, and St. Dominic, who all lived at the same period. There is very little information available about her parents. Historicists think she was a child oblate to the church, similar to the way Hannah presented Samuel to the temple in 1 Samuel 6. As a child of five years old, she was admitted to a monastery school in Saxony, where she received an excellent education and eventually recognized her calling to become a religious sister.

She was incredibly smart, earning an education unlike any woman of her time

In her memoirs, she confessed that she sometimes allowed Christ to take a backseat as she focused on honing her abilities in philosophy, writing, singing, painting, and other pursuits. In the end, she became despondent as a result of her experiences, and she referred to her academic endeavors as a “tower of vanity and curiosity.” After having a mystical encounter with Christ, she refocused her priorities and began to devote more time to studying the Bible and theological writings as a result.

Gertrude was a mystic

She experienced a number of mystical experiences, which she documented in her diaries and notebooks. The first was a sequence of visions that St. John had on the night of the Last Supper, which was the second. She placed her head on the breast of Christ and heard the beating of his most Sacred Heart. She then inquired of John as to why the event was not included in the Gospel. He responded by adding that this information would have to be saved for future epochs when the world, having grown cold, would have to reignite its love for Christ’s Sacred Heart in order to save the world.

Through her words, she was able to disseminate devotion throughout the Western world.

She wrote a prayer that when said, releases 1,000 souls from Purgatory

Gertrude had a deep devotion to the Holy Souls in Purgatory, about whom she wrote extensively, as well as the need of praying for them on behalf of the living. In her own words, she wrote the following prayer, which is particularly appropriate for the month of November:Eternal Father, I offer Thee the Most Precious Blood of Thy Divine Son, Jesus, in union with the Masses said throughout the world today, for all the holy souls in purgatory, for sinners everywhere, for sinners in the universal church, and for sinners in my own home and within my family.

Gertrude was never formally canonized

Surprisingly, this well-known saint was never formally recognized as one by the Catholic Church. Pope Paul V, over 300 years after her death, sanctioned a liturgical office of prayer, readings, and songs in her honor in 1606, more than 300 years after her death. In 1738, Pope Clement XII declared the Feast of St. Gertrude to be celebrated throughout the entire Church. Regardless, she is still revered as a saint, and she is interceding for us on behalf of the whole communion of saints.

She is the patron of the West Indies

After a petition from the Holy See was delivered to King Philip IV of Spain, she was officially designated as the Patroness of the West Indies. Her intercession is also frequently requested for the souls in purgatory, according to tradition.

Gertrude is the only female Saint to be called “the Great”

In order to distinguish her from Abbess Gertrude of Hackeborn, Pope Benedict XIV bestowed the title on her in order to recognize the depth of her works and theological understanding she possessed. There are no official criteria for deciding whether or not a saint is “great,” as there are for evaluating whether or not a saint is a doctor of the Church. A saint with the same name is frequently differentiated from a saint with a different name, such as St. James the Great, who was St. John’s brother, and St.

• Other saints are given the honor of being referred to be “great” because of their long-lasting impact on the world and the Church.
• Gregory the Great was dubbed “the Great” by the Church.
• Gertrude is still one of the most well-known saints in the Western world.
• Gertrude the Great, intercede for us!

Meet St. Gertrude, cat lady of the Catholic Church

A lady named Gertrude of Nivelles is said to be the patron saint of cats, and this is according to no less an authority than Etsy. To avoid confusion with St. Gertrude the Great (of Helfta), this St. Gertrude appears on a variety of Etsy products, including prayer cards and paper doll sets, as a youthful, haloed nun who looks to be holding a cat in her arms like a newborn child. Most of the things on Etsy are more kitschy than devout, and they don’t explain who Gertrude of Nivelles was or how she came to be known as the “Cat Lady of the Catholic Church,” as she was.

1. However, the treatment of cats has not always been one of respect and protection in the Christian West.
2. And why Gertrude of Nivelles, of all the saints, was chosen?
3. She was born in 626 in Nivelles (a city in modern-day Belgium) to a family of affluent nobility, and she became known as Gertrude.
4. Several people claimed that her mother, Itta, was descended from the bishop of Metz.
5. During the Middle Ages, nobles rose to power through clever marriages with other aristocratic families from other countries.
6. Several accounts of Gertrude’s life in medieval times claim that Pepin had similar plans for her.
7. She rebuffed him, declaring that she would not marry him or any other man, but that she would only accept Christ as her husband.

Itta was faced with the dilemma of how to safeguard her youngdaughter from predatory suitors who hoped to benefit from her family’s money and status after Pepin’s death in 640.

As recommended by the Bishop of Nivelles, Itta constructed a double monastery in Nivelles: a monastery for men and a monastery for women.

When Itta died in 652, Gertrude became the sole heir to the monastic estate.

She used the property left to her by her mother to build churches, monasteries, and hospices, all of which are still standing today.

These pilgrims included two Irish brothers, Follian and Ultan, who founded a monastery on a tract of land known as Fosses that had previously belonged to Itta and Gertrude, who had died in a battle.

According to her biography, she spent her final days praying fervently and wearing a hair shirt.

Ultan foretold that she would die the following day during Mass.

Gertrude was canonized as a saint almost immediately after her death, with churches dedicated to her and a slew of miracles attributed to her in her memory.

Upon invoking Gertrude’s name, the sea monster vanished in an instant, and the monks managed to escape.

The feast day of St.

Each year in the fall, Nivelles hosts Le TourSainte-Gertrude, a traditional procession around the city that draws up to 2,000 pilgrims and culminates in a Mass where the relics of Saint Gertrude are on display, which is attended by the Pope.

What about cats, on the other hand?

Gertrude of Nivelles as the patron saint of cats (as some claim).

The likelihood that her current popularity among cat lovers stems from an obscure catalog, on the other hand, appears to be remote.

Gertrude has been depicted with a rodent or two scurrying around her feet or running up the staff of her crozier in representations dating back to the Middle Ages.

Due to the fact that cats are the animal most people associate with being a natural predator of rats and mice, it doesn’t take much imagination to imagine Gertrude’s patronage being extended to the protection of cats.

Despite the fact that cats were revered as sacred animals in ancient Egypt, Egyptians kept them as household pets.

Although house cats were less common among the ancient Greeks and Romans, they were highly regarded for their ability to keep the vermin population under control.

The Cat was a frequent victim of superstition and abuse in the Middle Ages, particularly in connection with witchcraft and “paganbeliefs” of pre-Christian religions, according to historians.

Vatican historians still credit Pope Gregory IX, who reigned from 1227 to 1241 and founded the papal inquisition, with leading a continent-wide cat purge to root out heresy from the Christian world.

The cat was referred to as “Lucifer” in the text.

Annual cat celebrations such as Fastelvn in Denmark and Kattenstoet in Ypres, Belgium, provide as more proof of the medieval church’s anti-cat prejudice towards the animals.

The ideawas that when the cat went off, bad spirits were exiled from thevillage with it.

Kattenstoet was originally celebrated as an Easter holiday in Belgium in the 13th century, but it was transferred to the second week of Lent by the 15th century.

The event is still held in Ypres, but it now features stuffed toy cats instead of real cats.

My cat-obsessed aunt (who never had fewer than three cats at a time) told me a story about the “mark of Mary,” which is a mythology about the Virgin Mary’s mark (who currently keeps company with four).

A stray cat emerged and crawled into the manger, snuggling up next to baby Jesus and lulling him to sleep for the first time in his life.

Another example of the closeness that exists between Christians and cats is a 9th-century Irishpoem that was discovered in an Austrian monastery manuscript about ascholar and his white cat, Pangur Bán.

Auden and Seamus Heaney, have released their own translations of the poem.

The Middle Ages were a time when cats were considered to be the perfect and treasured companions for monksand nuns, and it would be no surprise if Gertrude’s religious sisters, or her Belgian and Irish religious brothers, maintained cats in their respective communities.

And, based on what we know about St.

This courageous young woman, who refused to marry, left the hectic administration of her monastery in the hands of others so that she could go off by herself and pray, and took to wearing a hair shirt in her final days, is a fitting human counterpart to the domestic cat, a creature known for being resolutely independent, constantly contrary, frequently lonerish, and prone to mysterious habits that never make sense to its human owner, who loves and accepts cats as they are regardless of their human counterparts’ opinions.

St. Gertude of Nivelles, patron saint of travelers, gardeners, and, yes, cats, is also known as the “Cat Saint.” The Catholic cat community and our misunderstood feline companions are grateful that you have our backs. Image courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

Saint Gertrude of Nivelles: The Patron Saint of Cats (More or Less)

Although many people associate March 17 with St. Patrick’s Day, the day also commemorates the feast day of Gertrude of Nivelles, the patron saint of cats, who is less well-known. It appears to be the case, at least according to the internet, even if the Roman Catholic Church has never officially stated as such. Gertrude of Nivelles was born about 626 in what is now Belgium to an aristocratic family with a strong network of connections. She, on the other hand, did not follow the script that most noble ladies were expected to follow during her time: Gertrude is said to have refused to be married to the son of a duke when she was ten years old, yelling and screaming in protest.

1. The family went to Nivelles (in the south of present-day Brussels) after her father’s death in order to establish a monastery, where Gertrude eventually rose to the position of abbess.
2. She was also believed to have been visited by supernatural visions and to have memorized the majority of the Bible.
3. She passed away three years later, and it is reported that St.
4. In part because of her reputation for hospitality, Gertrude was initially revered as the patron saint of travelers and the recently deceased (who were considered to be on their own trip), as well as gardeners and those suffering from mental illness.
5. It’s possible that the connection sprang from early Christian beliefs: Gertrude was known to pray for the souls of people in purgatory, and medieval painters frequently depicted the souls of those in purgatory as mice.
6. Because of the widespread adoration of Gertrude that extended throughout northern Europe, little silver or gold figurines of mice were deposited to a shrine dedicated to her in Cologne as late as 1822, solidifying the association between Gertrude and rodents.
7. The transition from linking Gertrude with warding off mice to connecting her with cats has occurred over the last several decades among loyal Catholics (and cat lovers).
8. According to some historians, the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York published a catalog in 1981 titled Metropolitan Cats, which was the first publication to make the connection between Gertrude and cats.
9. Specifically, according to Thomas J.
10. Gertrude.
11. Although the Vatican has the authority to officially recognize a saint’s patronage, it has never done so in the case of Saint Gertrude and cats.

Consequently, if you wish to purchase a medal of St. Gertrude to wear around your cat’s neck, feel free to do so! Sign up for our newsletter now! SIGN UP RIGHT NOW

Saint Gertrude the Great, Patron of the Dead – EpicPew

We should take a look at one of the patrons of the dead in the spirit (pun intended) of the season, to which we should dedicate this article: When it came to the truly gone, Saint Gertrude was a force to be reckoned with. Continue reading to learn more about her and the amazing prayer she made to assist people who are trapped in purgatory! Gertrude of Helfta was born on January 6, 1256, in the Thuringian town of Eisleben. At the age of five, she was moved to Helfta, a Cistercian monastery school in Saxony, where she continued her education.

1. Her study habits were second to none, and she swiftly surpassed the abilities of her other pupils.
2. Though she grew adept in philosophy, literature, songwriting, and miniature painting, she recognized that something was still missing from her repertoire.
3. She made the decision to enter the novitiate and donned the veil to signify her commitment.
4. She was around 24 years old at the time, and she was only half-heartedly living her life as a nun, often diverted from the things that needed her whole attention.
5. She was despondent, lonely, and unhappy at the time.

Early in 1281, she had her first encounter with Jesus, who appeared to her as a young man who told her, “I have come to console you and offer salvation.” “Jesus, my Redeemer, you have bent my indomitable head to your soft yoke, preparing for me the medication appropriate to my weakness,” she would later write in her journal about that day.

1. It was decided that she would concentrate her studies only on biblical texts, Church Fathers publications, and theological works.
2. As a consequence, she desired that the knowledge she was gaining might be shared with other people.
3. Those who were lucky enough to read them were able to turn them into spiritual treasure chests.
4. Gertrude had a number of spiritual experiences in which Jesus revealed His immeasurable love to her and charged her with the task of spreading it among the faithful.
5. She would record these mystical encounters in order to achieve her goal.
6. She oozed humility and had a genuine affection for everyone she met.

Certainly, Jesus spoke with Mary and told her, “It would be good if you could make it known to men and women how they would benefit from remembering that I, the Son of God and the Holy Virgin Mary, always stand before God for the salvation of the human race, and that, should they commit some sin because of their weakness, I offer my unblemished Heart to the Father on their behalf.” By 1298, her health had deteriorated significantly.

1. For the edifying and redemption of all souls, she sacrificed all of her pains in love and oneness with Christ’s suffering for the sake of all souls.
2. but you, Jesus, deigned to grant me the priceless familiarity of your friendship by opening to me in every way that most noble casket of your divinity, which is your divine Heart, and offering me in great abundance all your treasures contained therein.” Gertrude died in the year 2000.
3. She would be united in rapture with the immortal Bridegroom for the rest of her life.
4. Gertrude is the only female saint to be given the honorific title “the Great,” which is given in honour of her theological knowledge and profundity.
5. Gertrude penned the following prayer as a result of her encounter with Jesus and subsequent interactions with him.
6. One thousand and one!

Please pray this every day, especially during this special month: Amen. “Ora pro nobis!” says St. Gertrude the Great. Love 1

About St. Gertrude the Great – Patron Saint Article

Gertrude was born in 1263 to a noble Saxon family, and she grew up in a convent. She was placed in a Benedictine convent for instruction when she was five years old. The young Gertrude was able to write in Latin and was attentive to all of the monastic observances, including mortification and humility. When she was twenty-six years old, Gertrude experienced her first vision of Jesus Christ. She experienced other visions, including personal talks with Jesus and Mary, which she recounted in her book, Book of Extraordinary Grace, as well as in her journal.

• Mechtilde to write a set of prayers that quickly gained widespread acceptance.
• Catherine of Siena Gertrude was well-known for treating everyone, especially sinners, with kindness.
• She yearned to be with Jesus in heaven, and her inability to do so resulted in nearly constant pain for her family.
• She was ultimately granted her request in 1302.

Shop St. St. Gertrude the Great Medals and Rosaries

Gertrude was born in 1263 to a noble Saxon family, and she was the daughter of King Frederick II of England and Queen Elizabeth I of England. She was placed in a Benedictine abbey for schooling when she was 5 years old, and she is still there now. Gertrude received her first vision of Christ when she was twenty-six years old. She was able to write in Latin and was attentive to all of the monastic observances, including mortification and humility. She experienced other visions, including private talks with Jesus and Mary, which she recounted in her book, Book of Extraordinary Grace, which is available online.

Mechtilde to create a set of prayers that quickly gained widespread acceptance and popularity.

Even sinners were treated with kindness by Gertrude since she was known for being kind.

Because of her want to be with Jesus in heaven, she suffered virtually continuously as a result of her incapacity to do so.

She was ultimately granted her desire in 1302.