Hermann of Reichenau
German 11th-century Benedictine monk
Feast: 24 September (not on the universal Roman calendar; kept in the Roman Martyrology or local calendars)
Who they were
Hermann, son of a Swabian count, was crippled from birth and could barely move, read or write without help. At seven he was entrusted to the abbey of Reichenau, where he took vows in 1043.
His iron will overcame everything: he mastered theology, mathematics, astronomy, music and languages, and students came from all parts, drawn by his learning, his monastic virtue and his lovable character. He died at Reichenau on 21 September 1054.
The miracles
The Catholic Encyclopedia does not describe his cause.
Why that counted as sanctity
A disabled monk whose faith and will made him a light of learning.
The cause
The cause continues. No postulation address is published here yet. Favours received through this person’s intercession, and offers of help, are best sent to the religious order or congregation they belonged to, or to the diocese where the cause was opened; either will pass them to the postulation.
- Catholic Encyclopedia (1913), via New Advent - Hermann Contractus
- Wikidata Q68490 — dates, feast day and identifiers (CC0)
- English Wikipedia — Hermann of Reichenau (CC BY-SA)
Checked against the sources listed on 21 September 2026. Corrections welcome.