Feast: November 16 (Traditional Calendar)
Born: January 6, 1256 — Died: November 17, 1302
Patroness of: the West Indies; invoked for the souls in Purgatory
A Child Chosen by Christ
Saint Gertrude the Great, a glory of the Benedictine Order, was born on the Feast of the Epiphany in the year 1256 in the region of Thuringia, within the Holy Roman Empire (present-day Germany). Orphaned at an early age, she was entrusted at the age of five to the care of the Benedictine nuns of the monastery of Helfta, a house renowned for its learning and sanctity.
Under the guidance of the learned and saintly Abbess Gertrude of Hackeborn, and likely in the spiritual company of the mystic Saint Mechtilde of Hackeborn, young Gertrude flourished both in wisdom and grace. God had chosen her for a singular union with Himself. Though she excelled in her studies and developed a deep intellectual life, her early years were not yet marked by extraordinary sanctity. It was not until her 25th year that the Lord drew her into the mystical path.
The Divine Encounter
In the year 1281, on the Monday of the third week of Lent, Saint Gertrude received a mystical vision of Christ, who appeared to her as a youth shining in beauty. This moment marked a total transformation of her life. The Lord said to her:
“Fear not, I will save thee and set thee free.”
From that moment, Saint Gertrude forsook all attachment to worldly knowledge and honors, and gave herself entirely to divine love. She entered into a life of profound intimacy with the Sacred Heart of Jesus, centuries before that devotion was formally spread by Saint Margaret Mary Alacoque.
Her Mystical Life
Saint Gertrude was graced with extraordinary mystical gifts, including frequent visions of Our Lord, the Blessed Virgin, and the saints. Christ revealed to her the ineffable secrets of His Heart, the treasures of His love, and the hidden mysteries of the Church. Her writings are among the most sublime in Christian mysticism, imbued with deep theological insight and fervent devotion.
She had a particular devotion to the Most Holy Eucharist, the Passion of Our Lord, and the souls in Purgatory. Christ entrusted many souls to her prayer and penance, and she is especially known for her intercessory charity for the suffering souls.
Saint Gertrude was also noted for her profound humility, obedience, and love of the Divine Office. She lived not for visions, but for union with God, conforming her will to His in all things.
Her Writings
Among her principal works are:
- The Herald of Divine Love (Legatus Divinae Pietatis) – A spiritual autobiography detailing her mystical experiences, dictated out of obedience.
- The Spiritual Exercises – A retreat guide of meditations grounded in Scripture and the liturgical year.
- Preces Gertrudianae – Prayers attributed to her, widely used in devotion for the holy souls.
Her writings reveal a soul inflamed with love for the Heart of Jesus, and they are considered among the richest sources for understanding Benedictine mysticism and the medieval devotion to the Sacred Humanity of Christ.
Her Death and Legacy
Saint Gertrude passed into eternal life on November 17, 1302, at the age of 46. Though never formally canonized by the Roman Church, her sanctity was recognized universally and her feast was included in the Roman Martyrology by the order of Pope Benedict XIV. She is the only female saint to bear the title “the Great” — a distinction shared only with Saints Leo, Gregory, Albert, and Basil.
Saint Gertrude is especially invoked for the souls in Purgatory, owing to a prayer attributed to her in which Our Lord promises to release many souls at its recitation:
The “Prayer of Saint Gertrude for the Holy Souls”:
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,
those in my own home and within my family. Amen.
Conclusion
Saint Gertrude the Great stands as a beacon of contemplative love in the heart of the Church. She reveals to souls the unfathomable depths of the Sacred Heart and the tender mercy of God for His creatures. Her life is a summons to deeper prayer, Eucharistic adoration, and devotion to the hidden life of Christ in the soul.