Today is the feast day of Saint Bruno of Cologne, founder of the Carthusian Order

The Church celebrates the feast of Saint Bruno of Cologne, the priest who founded the Carthusian Order, on October 6.

Born into a noble family in Cologne, Germany, in 1035, Bruno studied at the Saint Cunibert school and later at the cathedral school in Reims, France. He served as a headmaster and teacher at Reims before being ordained a priest. During his priesthood, he served as a cathedral canon and chancellor to the archbishop, publishing works on the Psalms and the letters of Saint Paul.

In 1084, Bruno established the Carthusian Order, named after the Chartreuse mountains in France where the order was first founded. The Carthusian spirituality emphasizes continuous prayer, manual labor, writing, and the pursuit of knowledge.

After founding the order, Bruno traveled to serve as an advisor to Pope Urban II, a former student. He eventually resigned from his position to return to the Carthusian brothers in 1101. Bruno died on October 6, 1101, and was buried in the Sainte-Marie-de-La-Tour monastery.