Gertrude was born in 1256 and, at about five years old, was entrusted to the monastery of Helfta in Saxony, Germany. There she learned Latin and the liberal arts and grew into a gifted nun.

Around the age of twenty-five she had a profound encounter with Christ, after which she gave her whole heart to Scripture and prayer rather than secular learning. Her experiences and teaching survive in works such as The Herald of Divine Love and the Spiritual Exercises. She died around 1302. There was no formal canonization, but the Church has long honored her as a saint and calls her the Great.