Vatican News article

 The following is a Google translation of a German language article about Saint Henry. The article can be found here:   Hl. Heinrich II., Kaiser - Informationen über die Heiligen des Tages - Vatican News


Henry was born in Bamberg in 973 as the son of the Duke of Bavaria. His life remains incomprehensible if one does not start from the profoundly Christian upbringing that he enjoyed from an early age. Henry was educated by the Hildesheim monks and later entrusted to the holy bishop Wolfgang in Regensburg. After the death of his father, he became Duke of Bavaria, King of East Franconia in 1002, and King of Italy two years later. His brother Bruno turned his back on court life to become Bishop of Augsburg. One sister became a nun, the other married the future St. Stephen of Hungary. In 1014, Pope Benedict VIII crowned Henry Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire. 

 The connection with Cluny

 Henry's contribution to the ecclesiastical reform, which originated in Cluny Abbey, is particularly significant. This reform affected not only monastic life, but the whole Church: it contributed to the fight against simony – the purchase of ecclesiastical offices – and to the re-emergence of priestly celibacy. One of Henry II's advisors was St. Odilo, abbot of Cluny, whose reform Henry wanted to support. In 1022, Henry, together with the Pope, presided over the Council of Pavia, which condemned the concubinage of priests and lamented the loss of church assets due to the alienation of property due to priestly children entitled to inheritance. Henry's initiatives also include the restoration of bishoprics, the founding of the diocese of Bamberg and the construction of Bamberg Cathedral, where he is buried with his wife, who was also canonized. His interest in liturgical-ecclesiastical aspects was reflected in the decision to introduce the prayed profession of faith into Sunday Mass.

 The political decisions

 Henry was a ruler of strong decisions. First, he strengthened his empire by taking action against rebellious princes. In the fight against Duke Boleslav, who had his sights set on the Polish throne, he allied himself with Slavic tribes, but in the end had to recognize Poland's independence. He received bitter criticism for this alliance with non-Christian peoples.

 Love for St. Cunegonde

 The deep bond with his wife – St. Kunigunde – shaped his whole life. The marriage of the two remained childless: some believed in a deliberate choice of chastity, others again thought that the cause was in the barrenness of Cunegonde. Unlike in the High Middle Ages, Henry refused to disown his wife. A decision that strengthened his reputation for holiness, although it actually only corresponded to the customs of his ancestors: the Ottonians were strictly monogamous, had no children out of wedlock and did not disown their wives. In 1146, Henry II was canonized by Pope Eugene III.

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