Crisóstomo Henríquez (1594 – 23 December 1632) was a Spanish Cistercian monk and ecclesiastical historian, who belonged to the Spanish congregation of that order, and who worked in the Spanish Netherlands.
Henríquez was born in Madrid, Spain, in 1594. At the age of 13, after having finished his humanities, he entered the Cistercian Abbey of Huerta, Spain, where he received the religious habit, and in 1612 was admitted to monastic profession. He was then sent by his superiors to various monasteries of the Order, where he studied successively philosophy and theology under the most eminent professors. During his studies he manifested a marked aptitude and taste for historical research. While still a student, he published his first work, the History of the Monastery of Meyra.
Having completed his studies, he returned to Huerta. During this time his parents had left Spain to take up their residence at the court of the Archduke Albert, Habsburg Governor of Flanders, and at their request this prince wrote to the Abbot General of the Cistercian Congregation of Spain to ask that Henríquez be sent to the Low Countries. The abbot acceded to this petition, and Henríquez left Spain, never to see it again.
He now received from his superiors the command to write the history of the Cistercian Order. With this end in view, he visited the various Belgian monasteries, especially those of Aulne, Villers, and Our Lady of the Dunes Abbey – all then the most flourishing in all Europe – consulting their libraries, studying their archives, and seeking all the information obtainable for the realization of his great project. Everywhere he received cordial cooperation, his amiable character having won the sympathy and goodwill of all.
Henríquez died on 23 December 1632, at Louvain, still the location of the Université catholique de Louvain, the leading Catholic university in the Low Countries.
Henríquez was considered an exemplary monk from every point of view. His knowledge was only equaled by his humility and his submission to his superiors unqualified, while his agreeable demeanor won him the affection of all. His superiors were lavish in bestowing on him marks of esteem and honorable titles. He was appointed historian of the Spanish Congregation of the Cistercian Order, afterwards Vicar General of the same Congregation, and finally Grand Prior of the Military Order of Calatrava.
From 1619 until 1632, he published upwards of 40 separate works in Dutch, Latin, and Spanish, chief among them being:
The Catholic Encyclopedia describes his works as "elegant yet concise" with "a profound erudition", but criticizes the accuracy of his dates. Historian Claude Chalemot, Cistercian Abbot of La Colombe abbey, disapproves of his choices of persons to include in and exclude from his Menology.
This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Herbermann, Charles, ed. (1913). "Crisóstomo Henríquez". Catholic Encyclopedia. New York: Robert Appleton Company.
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