Saint Henry II was born on May 6, 972 at Albach, Hildesheim, Bavaria.  He was of royalty as his mother was Gisella of Burgundy and his father was Henry II the Quarrelsome, Duke of Bavaria.  Due to disagreements with some of the emperors, his father often lived in exile.  Henry was educated at the cathedral school in Hildesheim by Bishop Wolfgang of Regensburg and had plans on becoming a priest.
      In 995, upon his father's death, Henry became the Duke of Bavaria himself, which ended his thoughts of becoming a priest.  Seven years later in 1002, he ascended to the throne of Germany.  Then on May 15, 1004 he was crowned King of Pavia.
     Henry married and never had children for it is reported that he and his wife agreed to remain chaste.  His wife is known in the Church as Saint Cunegunda.  Both Henry and Cunegunda were prayerful people and were very generous to the poor. 
     Henry's brother rebelled against his power and Henry was forced to defeat him on the battlefield.  Henry later forgave his brother and the two reconciled. 
     Henry was crowned Holy Roman Emperor in 1014 by Pope Benedict VIII and became the last of the Saxon dynasty of emperors.
     Much was accomplished by Henry during his reign.  He founded schools, quelled rebellions, protected the frontiers, helped establish a stable peace in Europe and helped reform the Church while respecting its independence.  He fostered missions and established Bamberg as a center for missions in the Slavic countries.  He even started the construction of the cathedral at Basel, Switzerland, which took nearly 400 years to complete.
     At one point in his life, Henry was cured of an unnamed illness by the touch of Saint Benedict at Monte Cassino.  In later life, Henry became somewhat lame.  Following Cunegunda's death, Henry considered becoming a monk, but the abbot of Saint-Vanne at Verdun refused his application and told him to keep his place in the world where he could do much good for people and the advancement of God's kingdom.
     Henry died of natural causes on July 13, 1024 at Pfalz Grona, near Gottingen, Saxony.  He was canonized by Pope Eugene III in the year 1146. 
     St. Henry has become known as the patron of the diocese of Bamberg, Germany and of Basel, Switzerland, the Benedictine Oblates, as well as disabled people, dukes, handicapped people, kings and people rejected by religious orders.

“Know you not, that you are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?  But if any man violate the temple of God, him shall God destroy.  For the temple of God is holy, which you are.”            —1 Corinthians 3:16-17