One of the Twelve Minor Prophets of the Old Testament, whose short book wrestles honestly with the problem of suffering and injustice.

Saint Habakkuk is one of the Twelve Minor Prophets of the Hebrew Scriptures, an Old Testament figure venerated by the Church as a witness to God’s word centuries before Christ. His exact dates and biographical details are not documented outside his short prophetic book, which is known for its unusually direct questioning of why the wicked seem to prosper.

Quick Facts

• Died: before Christ (exact date unknown)
• Venerated as: One of the Twelve Minor Prophets

Who Was Saint Habakkuk?

Habakkuk is known almost entirely through the short Old Testament book that bears his name, likely composed in the late seventh century before Christ, as the Kingdom of Judah faced the rising threat of Babylon. Unlike many prophets, Habakkuk’s book is structured as a dialogue, in which he directly questions God about the presence of injustice and receives an answer calling for faith and patient trust.

Historical Setting

Habakkuk prophesied during a period of great political instability in the ancient Near East, as the Babylonian empire was emerging as the dominant power poised to conquer Judah. His honest questioning reflects the real anguish of a believing community facing what seemed like the triumph of a violent, godless empire.

Why the Church Remembers Saint Habakkuk

Habakkuk is remembered for giving Scripture one of its most candid treatments of the problem of evil, closing not with an easy answer but with the enduring line that the righteous shall live by their faith, a passage that would later shape Christian theology profoundly.

Canonization and Feast Day

As an Old Testament figure, Habakkuk predates any Christian canonization process entirely; his veneration rests on his inclusion in the Hebrew Scriptures and the Church’s own ancient liturgical memory of the prophets as forerunners of Christ.

What Catholics Can Learn Today

Habakkuk’s willingness to bring his honest questions and complaints directly to God, rather than suppressing them, offers a model of prayer that makes room for real struggle alongside real trust.

A Prayer to Saint Habakkuk

Saint Habakkuk, prophet who questioned God honestly and still chose to trust, help us bring our own doubts and complaints before the Lord without fear, and to find, as you did, that the righteous live by faith. Amen.

Sources

• The Book of Habakkuk
• Roman Martyrology