Bl. Anne Catherine Emmerich's visions are authentic, and she did have a vision of a Great Leader, aka the Great Catholic Monarch – however one of her texts has been misinterpreted, and unfortunately, this misinterpretation has been passed along in Catholic books and has confused many, including me until lately when I researched the issue.
Bl. Catherine Emmerich saw a visions where an Emperor Henry experiences a holy vision during a Mass and St. Mary-Major, and, his hip is mystically dislocated. People assume this refers to the future Great Catholic Monarch who will be named Henry, and, who will be 'lame' and walk with a limp according to the old German prophecies. However, we will see her vision in this instance does not refer to the future Monarch.
Here is the full quotation as provided in her biography, 'The Life and Revelations of Anne Catherine Emmerich, Vol. I.”, (pp. 284-285):
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“St. Henry, Emperor at St. Mary-Major.”
July 12, 1820. — “I have had a vision of the Emperor Henry. I saw him last night in a beautiful church kneeling alone before the main altar. I know the church; there is a beautiful chapel of the Holy Crib in it, I saw it once before on the Feast of Our Lady of the Snow. As he knelt and prayed, a light shone above the altar and the Blessed Virgin appeared alone. She wore a robe of bluish white which shot forth rays, and she carried something in her hand. She covered the altar with a red cloth over which she spread a white one, and deposited upon it a magnificent luminous book set with precious stones. Then she lighted the candles from the sanctuary-lamp. Many other lights in the form of a pyramid burned at the same time. Then she took her stand at the right of the altar. Now came the Saviour Himself in sacerdotal vestments, bearing the chalice and veil. Two angels served Him as acolytes, and two others accompanied Him. Our Lord's head was uncovered. The chasuble was a large, heavy, red and white mantle shining with light and precious stones. The ministering angels were white. There was no little bell, but there were cruets. The wine was as red as blood and there was also some water. The Mass was shorter than with us and there was no Gospel of St. John at the end. I saw the Offertory and Elevation; the Host was like ours. The angel read the Gospel and carried the book to Mary to kiss, and then, on a sign from Jesus, to Henry that he might do the same. At first, he dared not obey, but at length gained courage to do so. At the end of the Mass, Mary went to Henry and gave him her right hand, saying that she honoured thus his chastity and exhorted him not to grow remiss. Then I saw an angel approach and grasp him by the right side as had been done to Jacob. Henry showed signs of intense pain, and afterward limped a little. During the whole of this ceremony, there were numerous angels in adoration, their eyes fixed upon the altar.”
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First we have to note: when quoting this vision, people have REMOVED the chapter title confirming this was a vision of the medieval Emperor St. Henry II (972 – 1024 AD). While it is argued that Clemens Brentano who recorded the visions, or perhaps the priest who printed the books, might have added this chapter title themselves and was not indicated by Bl. Catherine. But, if they did, they had good reason to do so.
St. Henry II had experienced a vision just like this. St. Henry II was made to limp after an extraordinary vision of Our Lady, Our Lord in priestly garments, and the saints and angels at a Mass in Rome at St. Mary-Major. It is obvious Bl. Catherine Emmerick was shown more or unknown details as is common with her visions.
This is what is traditionally said to have occurred to him according to the history records of the Bollandists:
“After Henry II had deposed an anti pope and placed Benedict VIII back on the papal throne in Rome, he was crowned in Saint Peter’s Basilica in 1014. It was Henry’s pious custom to spend the first night in prayer at a church dedicated to Our Lady in any town he arrived in. As he was praying in Saint Mary Major’s during the first night of his stay in Rome he saw Jesus as a child dressed as a priest and enter to say Mass. Saints Lawrence and Vincent assisted the Mass as deacon and sub-deacon. Many other saints filled the church and angels sang in the choir. After the Gospel was read an angel was sent by Our Lady to give Henry the book to kiss. Touching him lightly on the thigh, he said, “Accept this sign of God’s love for your chastity and your justice,” and from that time on, the emperor always walked with a limp.(1)
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OBSERVATIONS:
~ The vision of Bl. Catherine is remarkably similar to the account of St. Henry II according to the Bollandists, too much so to be a mere 'co-incidence'.
~ Emperor St. Henry II's vision happened at St. Mary-Major according to the Bolandists. Bl Catherine mentions a 'beautiful' church where there is a shrine to the Holy Crib. We know she was talking about St. Mary Major as it houses a relic of the Holy Crib, a famous shrine of the Crib was built then in early times in 432 AD when Pope Sixtus III (432-440) created a "cave of the Nativity" similar to that in Bethlehem. Numerous pilgrims returning to Rome from the Holy Land, brought back precious fragments of the Holy Crib (cunambulum). The shrine is still there.
~ The Mass she saw is not the New Mass. What she describes is a Latin Mass all right, but obviously an earlier medieval version.
For instance, she could recognise and mystically knew Latin: if the vernacular was used, she would have said so. Her descriptions show it was LIKE the Mass being said in her time because she was making comparisons, but noticed some differences:
The Last Gospel was not said. Note, the Gospel of St. John was originally said quietly as a private devotion by the priest as he went to the vestibule, but was not added to the Mass itself until at least the 13th century, i.e. the 1200s, but some have noted it is not in some missals dated from the 1450s, for example. And, the Dominicans didn't even add it to their rite until after the Council of Trent. So, it was not included until well after the time of Henry II. Her vision is accurate then for the time.
She saw cruets, but heard no 'little bell' – i.e. the sanctus bell at Mass. Note, during the time of Henry II, altar bells were not used in the Mass, not until c. 1195, which was over a hunded and sixty years after his death, and, even then they were not mandated to be part of the Mass until c. 350 years later at the Council of Trent. So again, Bl Catherine saw an authentic historical detail.(2)
Some arguments, however, have been raised about the Elevation she saw:
If she saw the Principal Elevation as we have it now in the Mass at the Consecration, then something must be 'off' it is argued as this Elevation of the Host and Chalice at the Consecration was added to the Latin Mass at a later date, i.e. the 13th century well after the death of Henry II.
So, if this is the case: then Brentano added details as many suspected, or, even made up a fake vision, and therefore, we would have to eliminate this vision as authentic entirely, so, it cannot be considered a Great Monarch text AT ALL. Out it goes in that case.
But then, we also have to consider Bl Catherine saw many 'additional' or even 'corrective' details in her visions. The Principle Elevation was already in use the the northern countries of Europe, and then first KNOWN mandated for use by Bishop Eudes de Sully of Paris (1196–1208). Historians say it was only then the practice spread rapidly, but did not make it to Rome until centuries later -- yet, it is quite possible her vision was showing 'corrective details' -- that the Principal Elevation had spread fast and was in use much earlier in Italy than the historians have recorded, even if it was not mandated at all yet by the Holy See.
Then we must also note, her text is not specific on the TYPE of Elevation either for that matter. She could very well be referring to a minor Elevation that was present in the Rite – there was an Elevation since very early times to where the priest would present the Host to the people to adore before receiving Communion, this elevation was already in use in the early liturgies from the time of the Apostolic Constitutions dated c. 380 AD. Note: Bl Catherine describes the Host, so, she definitely got to see it presented. She could very well have seen a minor Elevation of some form – not the Elevations that were added later to the Latin Mass.
Finally, we have to observe, real mystics do not contradict each other. When taken together, the credible prophecies all point to the Great Monarch coming in the 1800s AND sometime in the 20th / 21st century when the chastisements hit. At least two and possibly three mystics have already named the ONLY King to whom this can apply, and, have even given his name. This man had a lame hip alright, but did not receive it the way Bl. Catherine describes – there are too many details in her vision that tie in with the medieval emperor St. Henry II and not the future Henry V.
In all, Bl Catherine's vision of 'Emepror Henry' cannot be of the future Great Monarch, who has already been identified by the other authentic prophecies: Henry V, 'Prince Dieudonné' 'The Miracle Child' of the last of the direct Bourbon line of France – it is promised he who was 'removed' is still 'reserved for the great epochs' will be 'returned to his subjects', and is the 'lily' that will be 'resurrected'.
Heaven does not retract its promises when the name of a person has literally been indicated. Authentic prophecies are pronouncements, and therefore are no different than promises – God does not go back on His word and always keeps His promises.
If Bl. Catherine saw Henry V at a Latin Mass, she would have seen the Tridentine Rite and not an earlier medieval version of the Mass.
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Return to the Great Catholic Monarch and Angelic Pontiff Prophecies Timeline, click here.
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FOOTNOTES:
Website: “The Lives of the Saints”, Magnificat.ca – their sources for St. Henry II's biography:Les Petits Bollandistes: Vies des Saints, by Msgr. Paul Guérin (Bloud et Barral: Paris, 1882), Vol. 8; Little Pictorial Lives of the Saints, a compilation based on Butler’s Lives of the Saints, and other sources by John Gilmary Shea (Benziger Brothers: New York, 1894).
Matthew D. Herrera, 'Sanctus Bells: History and Use in the Catholic Church', (2004) p. 3.
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Page updated May 3, 2021
