Henry Suso

Henry Suso, OP, also known as Amandus, Heinrich Seuse, or Heinrich von Berg, was a German Dominican friar and writer born on March 21, 1295, in Überlingen, Holy Roman Empire. He died on January 25, 1366, in Ulm. Suso was a prolific writer in both Latin and Middle High German, and he is notable for defending the legacy of Meister Eckhart after Eckhart's posthumous condemnation for heresy. Suso entered the Dominican novitiate at Constance at the age of 13. After about five years, he experienced a profound conversion and dedicated himself to "Eternal Wisdom," which he identified with the divine essence and Christ. This led to a mystical union with Christ. He studied in Strasbourg and Cologne, where he likely encountered Eckhart and Johannes Tauler. After returning to Constance, his teaching led to criticism, possibly due to his association with Eckhart. His writings, including "Büchlein der Wahrheit" (Little Book of Truth) and "Das Büchlein der ewigen Weisheit" (The Little Book of Eternal Wisdom), were influential. He translated the latter into Latin as "Horologium Sapientiae" (Clock of Wisdom), which became even more popular than the German original. Suso served as prior of the Constance convent and had devoted disciples, including women in religious communities. He shared the exile of the Dominican community from Constance between 1339 and 1346. In his later years, he edited his works into "The Exemplar." Suso died in Ulm and was beatified in 1831. He is sometimes referred to as a "Minnesinger in prose" for his use of courtly imagery and themes of divine love.