November 15 Celebration of Saints

November 15 Celebration of Saints

Saint Albert the Great

Saint Albert the Great, also known as Albertus Magnus and Albert of Cologne, was born sometime between 1190 and 1200 in Lauingen, Duchy of Bavaria.

In the 1220’s Albert joined the Dominican Order as he was a student of philosophy at various universities. As a student of philosophy he was the first to provide broad commentary on the writings of Aristotle, making them more accessible for further review and examination.

Albert became a master of theology in 1245, and he was ordained a priest that same year.

He was made provincial of the Dominican Order in 1254, and in 1260 he was appointed bishop of Regensburg by Pope Alexander IV. He served his duties with humility. Instead of following the custom of riding a horse, he traversed his See on foot. This earned him the moniker of “Boots the Bishop.”

He resigned his position after three years and Pope Urban IV sent him to preach in Germanic countries during the Crusades.

While in Germany he founded the country’s oldest university, ended a conflict between the citizens of Cologne and the archbishop in 1258 and defended the writings of his student Thomas Aquinas.

In addition to being a bishop, during his life Albert was known as a doctor universalis and doctor expertus who made significant contributions to the fields of natural sciences (geology, botony and others), theology, philosophy, astronomy and diplomacy.

Late in Albert’s life, he received the honorary title of Magnus. In his mid-80’s his health deteriorated, and Albertus Magnus died two years later in the Cologne, Germany Dominican convent on November 15, 1280.

Albert was beatified by Pope Gregory XV in 1622 and canonized a saint in 1931 by Pope Pius XI. Saint Albertus Magnus is one of the 36 doctors of the Church, and he wrote more than 38 volumes of his expert knowledge on a wide variety of subjects.

Saint Albert of Cologne is the patron saint of medical technologists and technicians, the natural sciences, philosophers, scientists and students.

Read more about Saint Albertus Magnus.

 Other Saints for Today

Other saints for this day include:

Saint Abibus, Saint Arnulf, Saint Desiderius of Cahors, Saint Eugene, Saint Findan, Blessed Gaius of Korea, Blessed Hugh Faringdon, Blessed Hugh Green, Blessed John Eynon, Blessed John Rugg, Blessed John Thorne, Saint Kanten, Saint Leopold, Saint Luperius, Saint Machudd, Saint Malo, Saint Paduinus, Blessed Richard Whiting, Blessed Roger James, Saints Secundus, Fidentian, and Varicus.