St. Gertrude the Great is the only female saint in the Church with the title “Great.”
The Childhood of St. Gertrude the Great
Saint Gertrude the Great was born near Eisleben, a town that is now in modern day Germany. Nothing is known of her family, not even the name of her parents.
At age 5 she came to live in the monastery at Helfta. There she was governed and taught by the Benedictine nuns. In those days there was a practice in the order of accepting very young children who were dedicated by their parents to the service of God in holy religion. The young Gertrude was given to St. Mechtilde to be cared for under the direction of the Abbess. We do not know if Gertrude’s parents dedicated her to the monastery or if she was orphaned. Little Gertrude and St. Mechtilde developed a deep bond which grew and strengthened over the years.
She Received many Graces from God
The Lord gave many great graces to St. Mechtilde, but in St. Gertrude the Great He operated far greater graces. The two had a great love for each other. St. Gertrude was given very high intellectual gifts by God. She was very good in Latin and could read it and speak it well even as a child. During her life most books were written on parchment manuscripts and oral instruction was the most common way to teach. She devoted much of her young life to studying literature and obtaining knowledge through the Scriptures and other theological writings. She wrote many things that have become treasures for the Church.
Jesus Speaks to St. Gertrude
When St. Gertrude was 26 years old, on Monday the 25th of January, at the close of the day, the Lord began to speak to her heart in a mystical way. Jesus came to her as she was making a loving act of humility and obedience in prayer. This began the long period of mystical experiences with Jesus that spanned the rest of her life. Once she was enlightened by Jesus in this way, St. Gertrude began to withdraw from academic pursuits and exterior occupations. After this she only desired to do God’s will. Her love for Him deepened, and she wanted to listen to Him without distraction or hinderances.
St. Gertrude the Great Helps a Religious Sister
Her sisters knew she was favored by the Lord, and they greatly respected her. One sister had painful temptations. She was told in a dream to ask for St. Gertrude’s intercession. As soon as she did this and St. Gertrude prayed for her the temptations stopped. Many others had similar stories. This gave St. Gertrude a reputation of having been granted a special grace by God to be a wonderful intercessor for souls, and to be endowed with the gift of counsel.
The Virtues of St. Gertrude
She was very virtuous. St. Gertrude had excess purity, humility, kindness, faithfulness, and charity. She desired to have perfection in every virtue and she grew in holiness by the grace of God. St. Gertrude loved God with her whole heart and deeply desired the salvation of the whole world. St. Gertrude was so humble that she never claimed any of her gifts or graces came through her own merits and never wanted anything attributed to her.
St. Gertrude Suffers Illness
St. Gertrude suffered many sicknesses and trials, and she took them all to God with gratitude. She had a special gift of prophesy that helped her give those she was praying for timely advice. This reputation caused many people to travel long distances to visit the monastery. They came for her counsel and her prayers. Her knowledge of the Holy Scriptures and the spiritual writings of the church was so deep that she often easily called upon this from memory while talking with those seeking her help and advice.
St. Gertrude Prayed for Souls
St. Gertrude had a deep love for lost souls. She desired more than anything for souls to be saved. This deep love of neighbor was the goal of her every action. She knew that the abundant grace God had given her could not be wasted. She was determined to use the graces for the benefit of all these souls that He put in her path. This was the reason she wrote. The Lord told her that by writing things down it would benefit not just those who came to her for help but anyone in future generations who would read the beautiful things she said. She obeyed the Lord and with gratitude began to write so that He could be glorified in her work.
St. Gertrude trusted God in all things, even when bad things happened to her. She was confident God knew best and was at peace with His will for her. Her generosity of heart was her greatest virtue. Throughout her life she generously gave of herself for the love of God and neighbor.
The Death of St. Gertrude the Great
St. Gertrude the Great died around the year 1301, after a long and painful illness. She lovingly offered this final suffering up for souls. Many of her writings have been lost, but some of her books are still studied today. And the prayer of St. Gertrude for the Souls in Purgatory is prayed by many Catholics worldwide.
Prayer for the Holy Souls in Purgatory
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.
Act of Love to the Sacred Heart
How great, O my Jesus, is the extent of Thine excessive charity! Thou hast prepared for me, of Thy most precious Body and Blood, a divine banquet, where Thou givest me Thyself without reserve. What hath urged Thee to this excess of love? Nothing but Thine own most loving Heart. O adorable Heart of my Jesus, furnace of Divine Love, receive my soul into the wound of Thy most Sacred Passion, that in this school of charity I may learn to make a return of love to that God Who hast given me such wonderful proofs of His love.
St. Gertrude the Great, pray for us!
Sacred Heart of Jesus, have mercy on us!
Immaculate Heart of Mary, pray for us!