Feast day: April 21
Doctor of the Church
Bishop and Confessor
“I do not seek to understand in order that I may believe, but I believe in order that I may understand.”
— Saint Anselm, Proslogion
✠ Early Life and Formation
Saint Anselm was born in the year of our Lord 1033 in Aosta, a town in the region of Piedmont, nestled at the foot of the Alps. His noble family was of Lombard descent, and even in youth, Anselm displayed a precocious love for learning and a natural inclination toward the things of God. He desired to become a monk in his youth, but his father, a man of harsh disposition, refused his request.
At age 23, following the death of his mother and increasing discord at home, Anselm left Italy and traveled across France, eventually arriving at the renowned Abbey of Bec in Normandy. There he placed himself under the spiritual direction of the celebrated Lanfranc, a fellow Italian and the prior of the abbey.
✠ Monastic Life and Scholarly Greatness
Anselm entered the Benedictine Order at Bec and soon surpassed all his peers in both sanctity and learning. Upon Lanfranc’s elevation, Anselm succeeded him as prior, and later as abbot. His reputation for holiness, theological acumen, and gentle wisdom spread far beyond the cloister.
It was during this time that Anselm composed some of his most enduring theological works, including:
- The Monologion (an exploration of God’s existence and attributes)
- The Proslogion, which contains his famous ontological argument for the existence of God, beginning with the phrase: “That than which nothing greater can be conceived.”
He also composed many spiritual meditations and prayers, deeply marked by devotion to the Passion of Christ and the Blessed Virgin Mary.
✠ Archbishop of Canterbury
In 1093, much against his will, Anselm was appointed Archbishop of Canterbury, succeeding Lanfranc. The Church in England was then suffering under the interference of secular rulers, particularly King William II (Rufus). Anselm was drawn into numerous conflicts as he steadfastly defended the liberty of the Church against royal encroachment.
Twice exiled from England for his loyalty to the Holy See and his refusal to compromise on ecclesiastical freedom, Anselm bore all tribulations with the spirit of a true confessor. He appealed directly to Pope Urban II and later Pope Paschal II, earning their support and eventually returning to Canterbury.
✠ Theological Legacy and Death
Anselm is most renowned for his treatise Cur Deus Homo (“Why God Became Man”), a profound theological work explaining the mystery of the Incarnation and Atonement, presenting the idea that Christ’s Passion was a necessary satisfaction for the offense of sin against divine justice.
In all his writings, Anselm combined faith and reason with harmony, epitomizing the motto of Scholastic theology: Fides quaerens intellectum — “Faith seeking understanding.”
Saint Anselm reposed in the Lord on April 21, 1109, in Canterbury. He was canonized in 1494 by Pope Alexander VI, and in 1720, Pope Clement XI declared him a Doctor of the Church, honoring him for his brilliance, orthodoxy, and sanctity.
✠ Devotional Reflection
Saint Anselm is a model for those who seek God through both study and prayer. His deep meditative theology was never mere speculation—it was always rooted in love for the Crucified Christ and reverence for the Holy Trinity.
Let us ask his intercession for:
- Growth in intellectual humility and purity of heart
- Zeal for the truth and liberty of Holy Mother Church
- A deeper understanding of the Incarnation and Redemption
✠ Prayer to Saint Anselm
O holy Anselm, Doctor of the Church and light of the faithful,
obtain for us, we beseech thee, a share in thy love for the truth,
and a heart ever lifted to the contemplation of the Divine.
Intercede for us that we may ever hold fast to the teachings of the Church,
and live in imitation of Christ crucified,
unto eternal glory. Amen.