June 6: Saint Norbert of Xanten, Bishop and Founder of the Canons Regular of the Norbertines

Announcer of the Gospel by word and example

Saint Norbert of Xanten had an instant conversion. When he was about 35 years old he was thrown from his horse and risked death. At that moment he heard the words of the psalm: “Turn from evil and do good” (Psalm 34:15). He interpreted this episode as a divine call and decided to radically change his life. He began leading a life of penance, walking barefoot, wearing rough wool clothes, and traveling from place to place preaching the Gospel.

Norbert was born around 1080 in the city of Xanten, in what is now Germany, in the northern Rhineland. From an early age he was sent to study at the Chapter of the Cathedral of Saint Victor in Xanten where he was ordained a subdeacon and named a canon. Later, he was called to serve at the court of Emperor Henry V. In that environment, he became fascinated by the worldly lifestyle and put aside his spiritual commitment and religious life until 1115, when his true conversion took place, thus becoming a full deacon and receiving his priestly ordination. He traveled through the countryside, announcing the Word of God, and calling for conversion. His commitment was recognized and supported by Pope Gelasius II and, later, also by Pope Callixtus II. It was precisely this encouragement that pushed Norbert to settle and found a religious community.

Choosing an isolated valley in the north-east of France called Prémontré, in a small chapel dedicated to Saint John the Baptist, he had a vision of the Crucified Christ who revealed to him that this desolate place would become the site of a great monastery. Thus, in 1121, Norbert officially founded the new Premonstratensian [a.k.a. Norbertine] Order. Remaining faithful to his vocation as a canon he adopted the Rule of Saint Augustine. The monastery soon became known for its austere lifestyle, poverty, solemn liturgical prayer and a strong adherence to the Augustinian community ideal. He chose a habit of raw wool, to express the vow of poverty with its symbolic meaning: the angel who announced the Risen Christ had appeared with the color white on Easter morning.

While the canons in the monastery increased, Norbert continued to preach and attracted many people. He had a sincere devotion to the Eucharist, to the point of considering the sacrifice of the Mass as the heart of the mission.

On July 25, 1126, he was appointed Bishop of Magdeburg. On that occasion, he left the leadership of his order to Blessed Hugh of Fosse. As a bishop, he always fought for the freedom and rights of the Church, remaining faithful and obedient to the Pope. He actively worked to restore peace between Emperor Lothair III and Pope Innocent II, resolutely supporting the latter against the antipope Anacletus. In 1132, as vice-chancellor and representative for Italy, he followed Lothair to Rome for the coronation ceremony, but during that journey he fell ill with malaria. He died on June 6, 1134, in Magdeburg. In 1627, his remains were placed in the church of the Strahov Monastery in Prague.