Biography of Saint Bruno - Short Biography of St Bruno « O Bonitas! » Bruno was born in Cologne around 1030. He was still a youth when he was sent to Rheims, in France, to study at one of the most reputed universities in Europe. After completion of his studies, he started teaching at that university. In 1056, Archbishop Gervais chose him to be the Rector of the "schools" of Rheims; he held the office of Rector of studies for 20 years. Towards the end of 1076, Bruno chose exile because of the conflict between Manasses of Gournay, the archbishop of Rheims, and several important institutes of the city, including the Benedictine monastery of Saint Remi. On December 27, 1080, Gregory VII had to resolve to ask the clergy of Rheims to drive the corrupt archbishop away and to elect a new one. Bruno was chosen for this post of high responsibility and power, one of the highest ecclesiastical positions in the kingdom of France. But he had other plans. He had decided to follow Christ to the desert. It is only around the Feast of St John-Baptist, approximately on June 24, that he and six companions reached the far end of the desert of Chartreuse, under the guidance of Hugh, the young bishop of Grenoble. For six years, Bruno was able to enjoy the life he had chosen with his brothers. In the first months of 1090, Urban II, a former student of his, summoned him to Rome to help him in the service of the Church, but just a few months later, Bruno obtained the Pope's permission to return to eremitic life, provided that he would establish his hermitage in southern Italy, then under the rule of the Norman princes. Bruno chose a vast desert in the diocese of Squillace : Santa Maria della Torre. This is where he died, on October 6. 1101. From there he wrote two letters full of tender love which have been inspiring Carthusians for nine centuries. Bruno was beatified by Pope Leo X in 1514. Biography - from the Charterhouse of The Transfiguration website - Biography of Bruno by Fr André Ravier, s.j. west (today called Saint-Laurent-du-Pont), the other from Saint-Pierre-d'Entremont in the north. The latter The twelve chapter titles below are links to the main went through the forest of Eparres, the home of wild chapters of André Ravier's (1905-1999) biography of animals, and up over the Bovinant Pass to an altitude of Saint Bruno : André Ravier, s.j., Saint Bruno The 5,000 feet. In this wilderness the travelers boldly Carthusian, written in 1981 and translated by Bruno summoned up their strength at the gateway of the Becker, O.S.B., Ignatius Press, San Fancisco, 1995. These valley and, since they were looking for the wildest place extensive excerpts (almost the complete book, slightly in this wild place, they climbed to the farthest point edited for web purposes and updated, but without the toward the north, where the wilderness terminated in a footnotes and index) from the pen of a writer who gorge that was enclosed by mountains so high that wrote so many books on Carthusian history and during most of the year the sun scarcely penetrated it. spirituality are included here for their inspirational value Amid the fallen rocks the strangely shaped trees still and for a fuller understanding of Bruno's soul through reached for the sky, so that at least their tops might his historical circumstances. It is an important read for gain the open air, light, and warmth. Then the little an admirer of Bruno and for any serious student of the band stopped. They had arrived. Bishop Hugh told his Carthusian Charism. The book is out of print; it is companions they should build their huts here and make reproduced here with the kind permission of Ignatius their dream of a hermitage a reality. Taking leave of his Press. companions, he went back down to Grenoble with his personal escort. Seven men stayed in the Wilderness: Master Bruno, the Prologue former chancellor and canon of the Church of Rheims; Master Landuino from Lucca in Tuscany, a renowned On a June morning in 1084, about the time of the feast theologian; Stephen of Bourg and Stephen of Dié, both of Saint John the Baptist, a small, serious-looking group canons of Saint-Ruf; Hugh, "whom they called the of poorly clothed travelers left the Bishop's house in chaplain because he was the only one of them who Grenoble,(1) led by young Bishop Hugh. They headed functioned as a priest"(2); and two "laymen", Andrew north and took the road to Sappey. After passing the and Guérin, who were lay brothers. These seven had last houses of the town they entered the great forest, decided to lead an eremitical life in common, and for cleared the Palaquit Pass, and reached the Porte Pass at some time they had been looking for a suitable place to an altitude of 4,000 feet. From the pass they descended carry out their project. Prompted by the Spirit and to the village of Saint-Pierrede-Chartreuse over a path knowing surely how well forests in the Dauphiné were that today's road follows closely. But, shortly before suitable for solitude, Bruno came to Hugh, bishop of they reached Saint-Pierre, they turned left into the Grenoble, to ask for shelter and advice. And Hugh, Valley of Guiers-Mort. This very narrow valley grew inspired by a wonderful dream, chose the Wilderness of narrower little by little until it was enclosed between Chartreuse for Bruno and his companions. two steep cliffs. Only the stream and the path found an exit to the west. Human wisdom would say the selection was foolish. The harsh climate with heavy snowfalls; the poor soil that The "Gateway", as this valley was called, was the sole required so much labor to provide even meager entry from the south. A little beyond that, to the right, nourishment for its inhabitants; the ruggedness of the an oblong valley called the Wilderness of Chartreuse terrain that made cultivation difficult in the forest; the extended north-northeast about three miles. Its lowest inaccessibility of the place during a considerable part of point was 2,350 feet above sea level, and the highest the year, so that there was no hope of obtaining help was 3,450 feet. It was nearly enclosed on all sides by quickly should there be an emergency or fire or illness. towering mountains which, at the Grand Som, reached Everything was against establishing any sort of an altitude of 6,000 feet. Except for the gateway of the permanent dwelling for human beings in the Wilderness valley, there was only one other way to enter. That was of Chartreuse, and especially in this northern end of it. by La Ruchère Pass (4,250 feet) toward the northwest, Several times events demonstrated that these fears though the village of La Ruchère itself was accessible were well founded. On Saturday, January 30, 1132, an only by the dangerous route of the Frou, over two poor enormous avalanche fell upon all of the cells except one paths that were long, difficult, and very risky: one and killed six hermits and one novice. They were coming from Saint-Laurent of the Wilderness in the compelled to go back a mile and a half toward the south from the end of the Wilderness, where the Grande at Cologne. In a document of August 2, 1099, whose Chartreuse is located now. authenticity unfortunately is contested, Bruno is said to have refused an important donation from the Count of Bruno was more than fifty years old. Several of his Sicily and Calabria. "He refused," runs the text, "telling companions, notably Landuino, were no longer young. me he had left his father's house and mine, where he What secret desire impelled them to brave this solitude, had held the first place, for the purpose of being able to whose severity Guigo, in his Customs (Consuetudines or serve God with a soul completely unencumbered by the Custumal) alludes to twice? What discovery, what pearl goods of earth." The lack of authenticity in false of great price could make them live "for a long time documents is often camouflaged by some details that amid so much snow and such dreadful cold"?(3) are true. Is that the case here? The mystery of vocation, by which God calls certain What is the date of Bruno's birth? We do not know that, people to a purely contemplative life and all-embracing but, calculating from the date of his death — which was love; the mystery of hidden lives of self-effacement (as October 6, 1101 — and from the events of his life, there it is commonly regarded) with Christ who effaced is no great risk of error placing his birth between 1024 himself; the mystery of the prayer of Christ in the and 1031. The year 1030 best agrees with the events wilderness during the nights of his public life and at that mark his life. Gethsemane, the prayer of Christ that continues in certain privileged souls at every period in the history of Bruno lived the first years of his childhood in Cologne. the Church; the mystery of being solitary while No document dating from that period has come down remaining present to the world, of silence and the light to us. of the Gospel, simplicity, and the glory of God: this is the mystery we will try to discover in the soul of Bruno.