Heribert of Cologne
Also known as Herbert
Born in Worms, Germany;
Died in Cologne on March 16, 1022.
Feast day: March 16
As a boy, Saint Heribert was sent to the monastery at Gorze in Lorraine for his studies. Upon his return to Worms, he was given a canonry and ordained. Like so many prelates of his time, he was actively engaged in secular as well as church affairs and not much is known of his personal life. Heribert developed into one of the strongest and most distinguished German statesman of the age: by 994, he had become chancellor to Emperor Otto III.
Heribert was elected archbishop of Cologne in 998. In the depths of winter he took off his shoes and walked into the city where he was consecrated on Christmas Eve 999, and from that time on he always wore a hair shirt underneath the rich robes of an archbishop.
Even as archbishop his duties as chancellor did not end. As imperial chancellor, he travelled with the Otto to Italy and brought back the dead Otto's body to Aachen for burial.
He incensed the ambitious men who wanted to succeed Otto by refusing to hand over the imperial insignia until a new emperor had been properly appointed. Heribert was even imprisoned for a time by Duke Henry of Bavaria for his obstinacy. This man, who became Emperor Saint Henry II, bore a grudge against Heribert for many years, but in the end came to acknowledge the saint's wisdom and probity to the point that Heribert became Henry's chancellor, too.
At a time when many clerical statesmen forgot or neglected their spiritual duties under the pressure of serving the state, Heribert was a devoted chief pastor of his flock. As archbishop he was a rich man; but his entire income was divided between the church and the poor, save for the little that was absolutely necessary for his own needs.
Heribert built the Benedictine monastery at Deutz (outside Cologne) on the Rhein (where he was buried on his death in 1021), was an active peacemaker, maintained strict clerical discipline, and is reputed to have performed miracles, one of which caused a heavy rainfall ending a severe drought and that causes him to be invoked for rain. Already during his lifetime Heribert was looked upon as a saint; after his death, his cultus was encouraged by the monks of Deutz. But the bull of formal canonization, attributed to Pope Saint Gregory VII, is now known to be a forgery, produced in the 17th century
Also known as Herbert
Born in Worms, Germany;
Died in Cologne on March 16, 1022.
Feast day: March 16
As a boy, Saint Heribert was sent to the monastery at Gorze in Lorraine for his studies. Upon his return to Worms, he was given a canonry and ordained. Like so many prelates of his time, he was actively engaged in secular as well as church affairs and not much is known of his personal life. Heribert developed into one of the strongest and most distinguished German statesman of the age: by 994, he had become chancellor to Emperor Otto III.
Heribert was elected archbishop of Cologne in 998. In the depths of winter he took off his shoes and walked into the city where he was consecrated on Christmas Eve 999, and from that time on he always wore a hair shirt underneath the rich robes of an archbishop.
Even as archbishop his duties as chancellor did not end. As imperial chancellor, he travelled with the Otto to Italy and brought back the dead Otto's body to Aachen for burial.
He incensed the ambitious men who wanted to succeed Otto by refusing to hand over the imperial insignia until a new emperor had been properly appointed. Heribert was even imprisoned for a time by Duke Henry of Bavaria for his obstinacy. This man, who became Emperor Saint Henry II, bore a grudge against Heribert for many years, but in the end came to acknowledge the saint's wisdom and probity to the point that Heribert became Henry's chancellor, too.
At a time when many clerical statesmen forgot or neglected their spiritual duties under the pressure of serving the state, Heribert was a devoted chief pastor of his flock. As archbishop he was a rich man; but his entire income was divided between the church and the poor, save for the little that was absolutely necessary for his own needs.
Heribert built the Benedictine monastery at Deutz (outside Cologne) on the Rhein (where he was buried on his death in 1021), was an active peacemaker, maintained strict clerical discipline, and is reputed to have performed miracles, one of which caused a heavy rainfall ending a severe drought and that causes him to be invoked for rain. Already during his lifetime Heribert was looked upon as a saint; after his death, his cultus was encouraged by the monks of Deutz. But the bull of formal canonization, attributed to Pope Saint Gregory VII, is now known to be a forgery, produced in the 17th century
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