Bernard praises it in his "De Laudibus Novae Militiae". Bernard nevertheless succeeded in getting a condemnation passed at the council. Born in 1090, at Fontaines, near Dijon. One result of Bernard's fame was the growth of the Cistercian order. There are also eighty-six "Sermons for the Whole Year"; his "Letters" number 530. in accordance with New World Encyclopedia standards. for less than $4.25/month. The first perfume, or ointment, is that of repentance, or sorrow for sins. In June 1145, at the invitation of Cardinal Alberic of Ostia, Bernard traveled in the south. Whos Who in Christian History (Tyndale House, 1992). The Holy Influence of St. Bernard of Clairvaux - Catholic Exchange Returning to Clairvaux, Bernard occupied himself in sending bands of monks from his too-crowded monastery into Germany, Sweden, England, Ireland, Portugal, Switzerland, and Italy. To share with more than one person, separate addresses with a comma. Monks understood their lives as a tasting of the sweetness of Gods Word as it came to them through chewing on, rechewing (ruminating), and digesting the honey of the Holy Scriptures and the writings of the past commentators on Scripture, the Church Fathers. Butlers Lives of the Saints, rev. Bernard's family was of noble lineage, both on the side of his father, Tescelin, and on that of his mother, Aleth or Aletta, but his ancestry cannot be clearly traced beyond his . This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. With merciless logic, he followed the principles of the Christian faith as he conceived it. At the time of the French Revolution St Bernards skull was taken for safekeeping to Switzerland, eventually finding its way back to Troyes. Of a noble family in Burgundy, Bernard was a tall, handsome, slender youth endowed with . William yielded and the schism ended. This man had been a noviciate of St Bernard at Clairvaux and was, in all respects, St Bernards own man. The legacy of Saint Bernard of Clairvaux to 20th-century Christians, as multifaceted as it is, lies most significantly in his profound human psychology of self-esteem and self-awareness grounded in the mercy and love of God. n. I). The death of his contemporaries served as a warning to Bernard of his own approaching end The first to die was Suger (1152), of whom the Abbot wrote to Eugenius III: "If there is any precious vase adorning the palace of the King of Kings it is the soul of the venerable Suger". His two successors, Celestin II and Lucius, reigned only a short time, and then Bernard saw one of his disciples, Bernard of Pisa, Abbott of Three Fountains, and known thereafter as Eugenius III, raised to the Chair of St. Peter. Simply because God is, we love him. he pope confirmed the judgment of the council, Abelard submitted without resistance, and retired to Cluny to live under Peter the Venerable, where he died two years later. Believe me, for I know, you will find something far greater in the woods than in books. Bernard belongs to this tradition. However, if a heretic refused to see the error of his ways, Bernard considered that "he should be driven away, or even a restraint put upon his liberty" (Serm. A new, third level of content, designed specially to meet the advanced needs of the sophisticated scholar. Bernards significance reached its zenith after the death of Pope Honorius (1130) and the disputed election that followed, in which Bernard became the champion of Innocent II. Bernard's crowning achievement in the long contest was the abdication of the new antipope, the result of Bernard's personal influence. Because God shared our human nature in Jesus Christ, we can begin the journey from the land of unlikeness toward the land of likeness, toward the complete integration and reformation of the divine image from which we have fallen. An enthusiastic supporter of the spirit of the Crusades, Bernard was instrumental at Troyes in obtaining official recognition of the Knights Templaractive as a military force with religious roots since the end of the First Crusadeas an authorized religious order. The latter died of grief and disappointment in 1138, and with him the schism. Bernard is credited with promising her a child as a blessing for her repentance, and a daughter was indeed forthcoming. There is some dispute in Marietta as to whether Bernards father had fought in the storming of Jerusalem in 1099, and indeed whether he died in the Levant. Hammer against heresies, promoter of crusades, and founder of monasteries. (See The Templar Continuum Butler and Dafoe, Templar Books 2,000). Bernard attended school at Chtillon-sur-Seine, a great privilege at the time. Pope Pius VIII bestowed on him the title of Doctor of the Church. Clairvaux itself had meanwhile (11351136) been transformed outwardlynotwithstanding the reported reluctance of Bernardinto a more suitable seat for an influence that overshadowed that of Rome itself. For monks and nuns this took place in the disciplined daily round of liturgical prayer and praise-filled contemplative reading, as outlined above [see also Van Engen's article: The Bread of God's Book]. Bernard of Clairvaux. St. Robert, Abbot of Molesmes, had founded, in 1098, the monastery of Citeaux, about four leagues from Dijon, with the purpose of restoring the Rule of St. Benedict in all its rigour. Christian monastic reformer and mystical writer. During his youth, he did not escape trying temptations, but his virtue triumphed over them, in many instances in a heroic manner, and from this time he thought of retiring from the world and living a life of solitude and prayer. Woman of the century! After Bernard's arrival with his 30 companions in 1114, the small community at Cteaux grew so rapidly that it was soon able to send out offshoots. Bernard's letter to the Archbishop of Sens is a real treatise "De Officiis Episcoporum". Bernard suffered frequent bouts of ill health, almost from the moment he joined the Cistercians. Here, he himself, on the basis of his previous leadership, was elected to conduct the new crusade. Guido II, head of the Carthusian monastic order (c 11761180) describes the process of reading (placing the grape of scripture in ones mouth), meditating, or studying it in a variety of ways (crushing and chewing it), being drawn by the hint of its sweetness to beg God in prayer for an experiential encounter with the text, and finally, knowing Scriptures Author in the loving embrace called contemplation. Towards the close of the eleventh century, the schools of philosophy and theology, dominated by the passion for discussion and a spirit of independence which had introduced itself into political and religious questions, became a veritable public arena, with no other motive than that of ambition. In 1118, the Monastery of the Three Fountains was founded in the Diocese of Chalons; in 1119, that of Fontenay in the Diocese of Auton (now Dijon) and in 1121, that of Foigny, near Veirins, in the Diocese of Lain (now Soisson), Notwithstanding this prosperity, the Abbot of Clairvaux had his trials. In such an essay as this we can merely introduce a corner of Bernards richness, yet from any corner of his thought we are led back always to the center, to the love of God. His parents were Tescelin, lord of Fontaines, and Aleth of Montbard, both belonging to the highest nobility of Burgundy. His last work, the De Consideratione, Tens of thousands heard his powerful preaching, and he personally attracted and helped many hundreds of men to follow a call to monastic life. Weve been busy, working hard to bring you new features and an updated design. By continuing to use this site, you consent to the terms of our cookie policy, which can be found in our. When Bernard returned to Clairvaux he became ill and died on August 20. During the absence of the Bishop of Langres, Bernard was blessed as abbot by William of Champeaux, Bishop of Chalons-sur-Marne, who saw in him the predestined man, servum Dei. As for heretics, he preferred that they should be vanquished not by force of arms, but by force of argument." You see such terms applied to so many today"golfer of the century," "composer of the century," "right tackle of the century"that the line no longer has any punch. The passing of Pope Eugenius had struck the fatal blow by taking from him one whom he considered his greatest friend and consoler. The more we know this embrace, the more we live in mercy and compassion. His legacy to 20th century Christians, as multifaceted as it is, lies most significantly in the profound human spiritual psychology of self-esteem and self-awareness grounded in the mercy and love of God. French translation with notes of the complete works of Bernard of Clairvaux. Bernard expanded upon Anselm of Canterbury's role in transmuting the sacramental ritualness in Christianity of the Early Middle Ages into a new, more personally held faith, with the life of Christ as a model and a new emphasis on the Virgin Mary. With a mixture of simple, religious zeal and some extremely important family connections, this little man involved himself in the general running, not only of the Cistercian Order, but the Roman Church of his day. He was born in Fontaines-les-Dijon in . Man of the century! Continue reading about St. Bernard of Clairvaux St. Bernard Bernard, the founding abbot of Clairvaux Abbey in Burgundy, was one of the most commanding Church leaders in the first half of the twelfth century as well as one of the greatest spiritual masters of all times and the most powerful propagator of the Cistercian reform. A much fuller and more comprehensive detailed biography of St Bernards life can be found in The Knights Templar Revealed Butler and Dafoe, Constable and Robinson 2006. This article abides by terms of the Creative Commons CC-by-sa 3.0 License (CC-by-sa), which may be used and disseminated with proper attribution. He also wrote the most celebrated medieval book on mysticism, the belief that God exists and that people could know this through personal religious experiences. Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. It was not a table feast that was served to the pope and his followers, but a feast of virtues. There Bernard was appointed abbot, a remarkable rise for such a recent initiate. In 1096, when Bernard is just six years old, the battle for the Holy Land begins - the First Crusade, aimed at conquering the Holy City of Jerusalem. This continued for the remainder of his life and may have demonstrated an inability on the part of his digestive system to cope with the severe diet enjoyed or rather endured by the Cistercians at the time. About the same time he wrote his work on "Grace and Free Will". Eleanor of Aquitaine, the greatest woman of her age, crossed paths with Bernard twice during her early career with her first husband, Louis VII. The papal residence at the Castel Sant'Angelo, however, was held by Anacletus, and he was supported by the Norman King Roger II of Sicily. In 1120 Bernard composed his first work "De Gradibus Superbiae et Humilitatis" and his homilies which he entitles "De Laudibus Mariae". One of these, Clairvaux, was founded in 1115, in a wild valley of a tributary of the AubeRiver, on land given by Count Hugh of Troyes. St Bernard was a visionary, a man of apparently tremendous religious conviction. St. Bernard of Clairvaux - Christian Apostles.com He had accredited the enterprise by miracles, but he had not guaranteed its success against the misconduct and perfidy of those who participated in it. His feast day is August 20. Space here does not permit a full handling of this extraordinary mans life or his interest in so many subjects, including architecture, music and (probably) ancient manuscripts. Nevertheless, their formally responding to his call had a tremendous effect. Bernard, however, approved of Heloise's capable management as the abbess of several monasteries for women and maintained cordial relations with her in that capacity. ed. The next step is to love God for Gods sake alone. "Piety was his all," says Bossuet. Biblical texts were the focus of the curriculum. For him, the truth was already known and the way of grace was clear. Three years later, when Bernard was 25, the abbot (who was to become St. Stephen Harding) chose him to start a new monastery at Clairvaux. Loving God for the sake of what he has done for us is, however, less than perfect. The Emperor Conrad and his nephew Frederick Barbarossa, received the pilgrims' cross from the hand of Bernard, and Pope Eugenius, to encourage the enterprise, came in person to France. This abbey was the first Cistercian monastery and had been set up somewhat earlier by a small band of dissident monks from Molesmes. Saint Bernard of Clairvaux, O.Cist ( 1090 - August 21, 1153) was a French abbot and the primary builder of the reforming Cistercian monastic order. The discussion was warm on both sides. Bernard was aging, exhausted by his austerities, and saddened by the failure of the Second Crusade as well as by loss of several of his early friends. However, even his meditative explications of themes from the spiritual life, as in On Loving God, and The Steps to Humility and Pride, are full of scriptural allusions and quotations. The greatness of Bernard is generally regarded as being his character. By 1124, when Pope Honorius II was elected, Bernard was already reckoned among the greatest of French churchmen. Although travelling extensively on many and varied errands during his life, St Bernard always returned to his own abbey of Clairvaux, which it seems (to us at least) had been deliberately built in a location that allowed free travel in all directions. He encouraged her and promoted her writings, even with his fellow Cistercian, Eugenius III. Infused with a profound intellect and renowned for his holiness, he bestowed a very rich doctrine and Gospel witness to the Church's tradition. Are St. Bernard dogs named after St. Bernard of Clairvaux? To re-enable the tools or to convert back to English, click "view original" on the Google Translate toolbar. He was canonized by Pope Alexander III on 18 January 1174. Only three years later St Bernard, still an extremely young man, (25 years) was dispatched, together with a small band of monks, to a site at Clairvaux, near Troyes, in Champagne, there to become Abbott of his own establishment. ( Latin: Bernardus Claraevallensis; 1090 - 20 August 1153), venerated as Saint Bernard, was an abbot, mystic, co-founder of the Knights Templars, and a major leader in the reformation of the Benedictine Order through the nascent Cistercian Order . Although Rome supported Anacletus, France, England, Spain and Germany declared for Innocent. St. Bernard of Clairvaux, despite once referring to himself as a "noisy and troublesome frog", lived a life packed full of intrigue and influence. St Bernard was a younger member of an extremely large family. After translating an article, all tools except font up/font down will be disabled. Larousse Biographical Dictionary (Larousse, 1994). A staunch supporter of an Augustinian view of the mystery of the Christian faith, St Bernard was fiercely opposed to rationalistic views of Christianity. At the invitation of Suger, abbot of St. Denis, now the virtual ruler of France, Bernard attended a meeting at Chartres in 1150 convened for this purpose. He was sent to be educated at Chatillon, but he was deeply affected by his mothers death and became interested in religious life. St. Bernard of Clairvaux - Saints & Angels - Catholic Online Then your friend will no longer be exposed to the accusations of pride and presumption". The emboldened Innocent now traveled to Rome, where Bernard, never one to compromise, shrewdly resisted an attempt reopen negotiations with Anacletus. The purpose of this council was to settle certain disputes of the bishops of Paris, and regulate other matters of the Church of France. Bernard was also known for strongly attacking anyone who seemed to be a threat to orthodox Roman Catholicism. The bishops made Bernard secretary of the council, and charged him with drawing up the synodal statutes. It was on the occasion of this visit, 1147, that a council was held at Paris, at which the errors of Gilbert de la Poree, Bishop of Poitiers, were examined. From Liege, the pope returned to France, paid a visit to the Abbey of St. Denis, and then to Clairvaux where his reception was of a simple and purely religious character. Anacletus, however, was not so easily dislodged. Bernard of Menthon: Born in 923 in Novara, Italy, Bernard of Menthon was initially a priest but was eventually ordained the Archdeacon of Aosta. From the beginning of the year 1153 Bernard felt his death approaching. Bernard paid no attention and in 1153 went to Metz at the request of the duke of Lorraine to try to calm the people of the town who had been assaulted by the duke. For more than 40 years Bernard took part in almost every great historic event, from helping Pope Innocent II gain acceptance to persuading the Lombards to make Lothair II their emperor. While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. [See the following article for an excerpt from On Loving God.] Although he was not considered a scholar, he wrote more than 300 sermons and at least 500 epistles, or letters. The regime was so austere that Bernard's health was impaired by it, and only the influence of his friend William of Champeaux, and the authority of the General Chapter could make him mitigate his austerities. There is no doubt that he was blood-tied to some of the first Templar Knights, in particular Andre de Montbard, who was his maternal uncle. His preaching, aided by his reputation and ascetic appearance, was an effective tool for the Catholic cause at least temporarily, since it provided evidence that the heretics did not possess a monopoly on missionary work and humility. All of these were attributed to Bernard after his canonisation and therefore must surely be taken with a pinch of salt. In 1112 Bernard convinced about 30 other young noblemen, including friends, relatives, and four of his brothers, to enter the monastery of Citeaux, which had been founded in 1098 and whose members rigorously followed the Benedictine Rule. He was canonized in 1174. In 1132, Bernard accompanied Innocent II into Italy, and at Cluny the pope abolished the dues which Clairvaux used to pay to this celebrated abbeyan action which gave rise to a quarrel between the "White Monks" and the "Black Monks" which lasted twenty years. One reason for his extended preaching tour into Germany was the rabble-rousing of an itinerant monk, Radulf, who had stirred the German populace to violent anti-Semitic attacks. It was at this council that Bernard traced the outlines of the Rule of the Knights Templars who soon became the ideal of the French nobility. Bernard was scarcely nineteen years of age when his mother died. St Bernard died in Clairvaux on August 20th 1153, a date that would soon become his feast day, for St Bernard was canonised within a few short years of his death. Bernards influence grew within the established Church of his day. The book contains a most beautiful page on the papacy, and has always been greatly esteemed by the sovereign pontiffs, many of whom used it for their ordinary reading. (Oxford Univ. Many stories exist regarding Bernards early years his visions, torments and realisations. St Bernard staunchly supported what amounted to an utter veneration of the Virgin Mary for the whole of his life and was also an enthusiastic supporter of a rather strange little extract from the Old Testament, entitled Solomons Song of Songs. i., Epiph. Abelard's treatise on the Trinity had been condemned in 1121, and he himself had thrown his book into the fire. The Chinese Bible Tells Me So. In sermons 10 to 12 Bernard outlines another threefold process of spiritual growth, using the three perfumes that emanate from the breath of the bride and the bridegroom (Song of Solomon 1:12). Prior to this time Mary had played a relative minor role in popular piety in Europe, and Bernard was the single most important force in championing her cause. St. Bernard of Clairvaux was a 12th century French monk and theologian, who was one of the most influential figures of his time. In the month of May, the pope supported by the army of Lothaire, entered Rome, but Lothaire, feeling himself too weak to resist the partisans of Anacletus, retired beyond the Alps, and Innocent sought refuge in Pisa in September, 1133. At the time of St Bernards arrival the abbey was under the guiding hand of Stephen, later St Stephen Harding, an Englishman. Bernard also had a powerful effect on the three greatest women of the age: Hildegard of Bingen, Eleanor of Aquitaine, and Heloise, the former lover of Abelard. Bernard's desire to enter a monastery, however, was opposed by his relatives, who sent him against his will to study at Chtillon-sur-Seine in order to qualify him for high ecclesiastical office. In 1141 Bernard influenced the Council of Sens to condemn Peter Abelard, a French philosopher and theologian; Gilbert de La Porree, a French scholastic theologian; and Arnold of Brescia, an Italian religious reformer who was a student of Abelard. It is a testimony to the nature of his personality that when he finally decided to join the Benedictine community at Citeaux, he took with him his brothers, several of his relations and a number of friends. In addition to this St Bernard consorted with Princes, Kings and Pontiffs, even directly creating his own Pope, BERNARDO PAGANELLI DI MONTEMAGNO (Eugnius III) who became Pontiff in 1145. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. The journey will be complete only in heaven, but those who devote themselves to it with special intensity can, by the sheer grace and mercy of God, experience a fleeting foretaste of its heavenly destination on earth.
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