History of Saint Norbert

Whilst the greatest effort has been made to ensure the quality of this text, due to the historical nature of this content, in some rare cases there may be minor issues with legibility. The life of Norbert, a Saint of the twelfth century, has been written repeatedly in almost every language. In the Acta SS. (T. XX. et 1 Junii app. p. 38) one of the Bollandists, Father Conrad Jannick, says: I hardly know of an illustrious man - king, emperor, or saint - whose life has been written more often than Norbert's. Of Norbert it has been said in very truth, that his deeds have been glorified by numerous historians in their annals, by poets in their verses, by artists on their canvas.<br><br>As to its historical value, the life-story of Norbert, as Founder of a Religious Order, is a reflection of the ecclesiastical conditions in his days - while as almoner at the court of Henry V, and later as Archbishop of one of the most important sees of Germany, his life gives an insight into the political conditions of a great historical period.<br><br>When we consider that at one time there were no less than 67 abbeys of Norbertine or White Canons in England, Scotland and Ireland, it seems very strange that Norbert is but little known among English-speaking nations. However, in the first place, we should remember that since the Protestant Reformation, when all these houses were lost, more than three hundred years passed before the sons of Norbert returned to England; secondly, only a very short account of Norbert's life was thus far ever written in the English language.