Walk to Canossa: origin and meaning

"Walk to Canossa": examples

  • Johanna was missing a few days at school because she had to cure a cold. In the meantime, the German exam was returned in her class, including intensive discussion of the solutions. So when Johanna goes back to school tomorrow, she will pick up the exam in person in the staff room, otherwise she would have to wait a week. However, due to the fact that she had learned little, she fears a bad result and the way to the teacher's room becomes her trip to Canossa.
  • Rüdiger was familiar with watering his parents' flowers as they are on vacation. But because he is more of a daredevil type, he naturally forgot about it for two weeks. A flower that was already wilting went completely down the stream. Rüdiger doesn't have a green thumb. But he threatens to go to Canossa if he has to explain the misfortune to his parents.
  • After a couple had once again quarreled extensively about a little thing, there was radio silence for a few days. The husband thought of a surprise to apologize on his part. So he bought a bouquet of flowers and wrote a romantic poem for his wife. However, since his wife is always very resentful, he was somewhat uncomfortable with the idea of ​​apologizing to her. The way to forgiveness seemed like going to Canossa.

"Walk to Canossa": meaning

The walk to Canossa is an idiom that describes a very arduous path to a person, since one has something to confess or show remorse would like to.

"Walk to Canossa": origin

Going to Canossa becomes history the prayer and penance of King Henry IV titled Pope Gregory VII to Canossa Castle from December 1076 to January 1077.

The Pope lived as a guest of the Margravine Mathilde of Tuszien in the castle and should be his king return lost ability to act. King Henry IV had been excommunicated because of an investiture dispute.

Legend has it that the king is whole kneeling in front of the castle for three days is said to have begged for admission. The situation was therefore extremely humiliating and uncomfortable. Furthermore, the long way to the castle was like running a gauntlet.

The dukes blocked the king from crossing the Alps to Italy, so only one dangerous detour over Burgundy and the Mont Cenis.

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