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Bernward of Hildesheim
German Roman Catholic bishop of Hildesheim
SaintResearchedGermanyPre-congregation
Feast: 20 July (not on the universal Roman calendar; kept in the Roman Martyrology or local calendars)
Born
960
Died
20 November 1022
verified
Beatified
—
not needed: before formal processes
Canonised
1193
by Pope Celestine III
Who they were
Bernward, of a noble Saxon family, was orphaned young and educated by Thangmar; he became skilled in mathematics, painting, architecture and goldsmith's work, and was ordained at Mainz.
As thirteenth Bishop of Hildesheim he gave himself to prayer and mortification. Shortly before his death on 20 November 1022 he took the Benedictine habit.
The miracles
The Catholic Encyclopedia does not describe the miracles approved in the cause.
Why that counted as sanctity
A bishop and artist who gave his gifts and his life to God.
Connected on this site
- Judith von Ringelheim Saint Brother or sister
Sources
- Catholic Encyclopedia (1913), via New Advent - St. Bernward
- Wikidata Q702308 — dates, feast day and identifiers (CC0)
- English Wikipedia — Bernward of Hildesheim (CC BY-SA)
Checked against the sources listed on 21 September 2026. Corrections welcome.