My summer this year, as compared to last summer at the parish, has been one of much travel and being far away from home. I was blessed to have an opportunity to study in Rome for the month of June at the Pontifical University of the Holy Cross with 25 other seminarians from across the United States. I could write quite a lot about my wonderful experiences in the Eternal City, but what is apropos is where I currently am, Bavaria.
During my time in college seminary, I spent a semester in the city of Regensburg studying German and developing many friendships in the region. But not only was I developing bonds with other seminarians, families, and religious in the area, but also with the saints. St. Wolfgang, St. Emmeram, and St. Anna Schäfer are a few examples of saints from Bavaria who are important for Regensburg. But there is a special pair of saints who I would like to discuss here, the Kaiserpaar ( Imperial Couple), St. Henry and St. Kunigunde of Luxembourg.
These two saints have a special significance to me for multiple reasons. Firstly, these two names were common surnames in our family historically (although unfortunately there are no Kunigunde’s in the family today). Secondly, their unique married life of holiness together as emperor and empress has fascinated me for a while. Lastly, St. Henry has always been close to me as a neighboring parish, where I went to so many Masses during my time at Bishop Leibold School. So, you can imagine my excitement when I realized for the first time that they are both buried in the imperial city of Bamberg only two hours from Regensburg! After two visits made to their shared grave in that beautiful city on 2022, I decided to go again last week.
This visit was distinguished from the others by the celebration of the eve of the 1000th anniversary of the death of Kaiser Heinrich II, as he was known. Heinrichsfest is celebrated every year in Bamberg because he single-handedly built the city to what it is today, founded the diocese, and made Bamberg the seat of the Holy Roman Empire during his reign. I was moved as I prayed at his tomb this time because I happened to be kneeling in front of a touching depiction of the death of the emperor with his wife, Kunigunde.
There is just something incredible about praying in 900 year old cathedrals with saints who have preceded you by a millennium and yet still feeling connected by the common call to holiness that we all share as baptized Christians. So maybe you solemnly celebrated the feast day this last week or maybe this is the first time you have really thought about the lives of these two saints. Either way, it could be a good opportunity for us all to remember that the communion of saints is interceding on our behalf before the throne of God and cheering us on as we push towards that goal of our heavenly homeland.
Freundlichen Grüßen aus Bavaria!
Joseph Allaire
Seminarian
