March 9
Bruno of Querfurt (c. 974–1009)
Missionary bishop and martyr
Missionary, bishop, Camaldolese monk and martyr.
Biography
His name in German is Brun von Querfurt; also known as Brun.
He developed his activity in the eastern regions of the Holy Roman Empire and became one of the most prominent figures of the first Christian missions among the peoples of northeastern Europe. Bruno was murdered in Prussia, near the border between Kievan Rus' and Lithuania, while trying to convert the Old Prussians to Christianity. He is venerated as the "Second Apostle of the Prussians."
Bruno was appointed missionary bishop without a fixed see and began a series of missions authorized by both the papacy and the Holy Roman Empire. He worked among the Magyars in Hungary, among the Pechenegs on the steppe frontier, and later in the lands of the Russians. His writings, including the Life of Adalbert of Prague and the Life of the Five Brothers, offer a significant insight into the politics, diplomacy, and ecclesiastical relations of Central and Eastern Europe around the year 1000.
In 1009, during a mission to Prussia, undertaken with imperial and papal approval, Bruno and his eighteen companions were captured and executed.
Practical advice
Respectfully explain a truth of faith to someone who does not know it and then pray for their path.