Blessed Henry Suso was born on March 21 1295 AD, in the Free Imperial City of Uberlingen in the Holy Roman Empire. He lived as a German Dominican Friar and a vernacular writer. He died on January 25 1366 AD, aged 70, in Free Imperial City of Ulm, in the Holy Roman Empire. His feast day was formerly celebrated on March 2 but now it is celebrated on January 23.
Blessed Henry Suso’s Life History
Blessed Henry Suso was born from the ruling family Berg, on March 21 1295 AD, in the Free Imperial City of Uberlingen in the Holy Roman Empire, as Heinrich von Berg.
He started his education from the Dominican Order in Constance when he was 13 years old and further studied philosophy and theology at the Dominican monastery in Strasbourg, from 1319 to 1321 and from 1324 to 1327.
He experienced a conversion to a deeper form of religious way of living which entailed the intervention of Divine Wisdom, making himself, “The Servant of Eternal Wisdom”.
Suso was appointed lecturer, upon his return to the priory in Constance in 1327. However, his teachings received harsh criticism as he was known to be a student of Meister Ekchart as Eckhart had been involved in atrial and had been earlier condemned of heresy. Since Suso had a deeper understanding on Eckhart’s teachings, he wrote a book, Little Book of Truth, in his defense. The book was however denounced alongside another one he wrote to complement it, by his enemies in the Order and so he traveled to the Dominican General Chapter to defend himself. He was removed from his lectureship in around 1334 AD but was not rebuked.
He was a great writer, explaining with great psychological intensity, the spiritual truths of Eckhart’s mystical philosophies. He was widely read in the later Middle Ages. A collection of his 28 letters in his Great Book of Letters, entail stories of his spiritual life and his ascetic practices. Suso was named “Minnesinger of the Love of God”, by Wolfgang Wackernagel, for his use of images and themes from secular, courtly, romantic poetry and his musically rich vocabulary.
He was once known to have served as Prior of the Constance convent and was said to have had a group of followers, men and women, associated with the Friends of God movement. He had gunner-ed influence in many religious communities of women, one being, the Dominican Monastery of St. Katharinental.
He shared in the exile of the Dominican Community from Constance from 1339 to 1346, during a heated disagreement between Pope John XXII and the Holy Roman Emperor. He then resided in the monastery at Ulm from 1348 AD. He edited four of his vernacular works in to the Exemplar during his final years and died in Ulm on January 25 1366 AD.
Blessed Henry Suso’s Birth
Henry Suso was born on March 21 1295 AD, in the Free Imperial City of Uberlingen in the Holy Roman Empire.
Blessed Henry Suso’s Death
He died on January 25 1366 AD, aged 70, in Free Imperial City of Ulm, in the Holy Roman Empire.
Family Background
He was born from the ruling family Berg in Uberlingen.
Blessed Henry Suso’s Education
He received his education from the Dominican Order in Constance and further studied philosophy and theology at the Dominican monastery in Strasbourg.
Blessed Henry Suso’s Profession
He lived as a German Dominican Friar and a vernacular writer.
Blessed Henry Suso’s Beatification
He was beatified in 1831 AD by Pope Gregory XVI
Venerated in
He is venerated in the Roman Catholic Church, the Dominican Order.
Blessed Henry Suso’s Feast Day
His feast day was formerly celebrated on March 2 but now it is celebrated on January 23.
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