The Spirituality of st Bruno of Querfurt

Abstract

This article analyses the spirituality of St. Bruno of Querfurt, as expressed in his writings. In his Life of the Five Brethren he presents the plan of Otto III to send some of St Romuald’s most zealous disciples to the Slavonic countries to build a monastery near the pagan lands. In this way the ‘three obligations’ seeking the Lord’s path, namely: for the new arrivals – the community life they desire, for those mature and seeking the Living God – golden solitude, for those desiring to be free and with Christ – preaching the Gospel to the pagans. We note the following symbols of spiritual life: community life – the monk’s habit, golden solitude – the hermitage, preaching the Gospel to the pagans – martyrdom. According to established monastic tradition, before becoming a hermit it is necessary to pass through the stage of community life. The Rule of St. Benedict states that the hermits are ‘no longer in the first fervour of their reformation, but after long probation in a monastery, having learned by the help of many brethren how to fight against the devil, go out well armed from the ranks of the community to the solitary combat of the desert. They are able now, with no help save from God, to fight single-handed against the vices of the flesh and their own evil thoughts’. The second component of his life is his time as a hermit. For some while St Bruno followed the teaching of St. Romuald, who provided a rule for hermits. First of all, he offered them St. Benedict’s Rule, but the Life of the Five Brethren includes the so-called ‘Little Rule’, which describes the ideal hermit life compactly. The third component is preaching the Gospel – martyrdom. St. Bruno keeps mentioning two things: the preaching of the Gospel and martyrdom. It is thought that his primary goal was martyrdom, and he understood the preaching of the Gospel as a method to attain this goal. With complete sacrifice he begins to preach the Gospel to the pagan nations until finally in 1009 he meets a martyr’s death on the border of Lithuania and Rus’.