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Saint Bernard of Clairvaux
St Bernard in A Short History of Monks and Monasteries by Alfred Wesley Wishart in 1900.
Abbot, Confessor of the Faith
Doctor of the Church
Born 1090, Fontaines, France
Died August 20, 1153, Clairvaux, France
Venerated in Roman Catholic Church, Anglican Church
Canonized 1174
Major shrine Ville-sous-la-Ferté
Feast 20 August
Attributes in his white habit watching the Virgin Mary, a white dog
Patronage Cistercians, Burgundy, beekeepers, candlemakers, climbers, Gibraltar, Queens' College, Cambridge, Speyer Cathedral
Saints Portal

Saint Bernard of Clairvaux, O.Cist (1090 - August 21, 1153) was a French abbot and the primary builder of the reforming Cistercian monastic order. This article is about the country For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic France topics. Events 636 - Battle of Yarmouk: Arab forces led by Khalid ibn al-Walid take control of Syria and Palestine Clairvaux Abbey ( Clara Vallis in Latin a Cistercian Monastery, was founded in 1115 by St This article is about the country For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic France topics. See also Anglicanism The Anglican Communion is an international association of national Anglican churches Canonization is the act by which a particular Christian church declares a deceased person to be a Saint and is included in the canon or list of recognized saints A shrine, from the Latin scrinium (‘box’ also used as a desk like the French bureau) was originally a container usually made of precious materials used Ville-sous-la-Ferté is a commune in the Aube department in the Champagne-Ardenne region in north-central France. The Calendar of saints is a traditional Christian method of organizing a Liturgical year on the level of days by associating each day with one or more Saints Events 636 - Battle of Yarmouk: Arab forces led by Khalid ibn al-Walid take control of Syria and Palestine Christianity has used symbols from its very beginnings Each Saint has a story and a reason why he or she led an exemplary life The patron saint of a particular group of people is a Saint who would protect and 'love' the group and its members Burgundy (Bourgogne Burgund is a region historically situated in modern-day France and Switzerland, inhabited in turn by Celts ( Gauls) Gibraltar (dʒɨˈbrɒltər is a British overseas territory located near the southernmost tip of the Iberian Peninsula overlooking the Strait of Gibraltar Queens' College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge. The Speyer Cathedral is a very large and imposing Basilica of red Sandstone in Speyer, Germany. Events 1192 - Minamoto Yoritomo becomes Seii Tai Shōgun and the De facto ruler of Japan. After the death of his mother, Bernard sought admission into the Cistercian order. Three years later, he was sent to found a new house that Bernard named Claire Vallée, of Clairvaux, on the 25 June 1115 and the names of Bernard and Clairvaux would soon become inseparable. Events 524 - Battle of Vézeronce, the Franks defeat the Burgundians Bernard would preach an immediate faith, in which the intercessor was the Virgin Mary. In the year 1128, Bernard assisted at the Council of Troyes, at which Bernard traced the outlines of the Rule of the Knights Templar who soon became the ideal of Christian nobility. There have been a number of councils held at Troyes: 867 - proclaimed that no Bishop could be disposed without reference to the Holy The Poor Fellow-Soldiers of Christ and of the Temple of Solomon (Pauperes commilitones Christi Templique Solomonici commonly known as the Knights Templar or the Order

On the death of Pope Honorius II, which occurred on 14 February 1130, a schism broke out in the Church. See also Antipope Honorius II, otherwise known as Peter Cadalus Events 842 - Charles the Bald and Louis the German swear the Oaths of Strasbourg in the French and German King Louis VI convened a national council of the French bishops at Etampes, and Bernard was chosen to judge between the rival popes. Étampes is a commune in the metropolitan area of Paris, France. Bernard devoted himself with renewed vigour to the composition of the works which would win for him the title of "Doctor of the Church". Doctor of the Church ( Latin doctor, teacher from Latin docere, to teach is a title given by a variety of Christian Churches to individuals In 1139, Bernard assisted at the Second Council of the Lateran. The Second Lateran and tenth Ecumenical council was held by Pope Innocent II in April 1139, and was attended by close to a thousand clerics Bernard denounced the teachings of Peter Abelard to the Pope who called a council at Sens in 1141 to settle the matter. Bernard soon saw one of his disciples, Bernard of Pisa, and known thereafter as Eugenius III elected Pope. Pope Having previously helped end the schism within the Church, Bernard was now called upon to combat heresy. In June 1145, Bernard traveled in Southern France and his preaching there helped strengthen support against heresy.

Following the Christian defeat at the Siege of Edessa, the Pope commissioned Bernard to preach the Second Crusade. The Siege of Edessa took place from November 28 to December 24, 1144, resulting in the fall of the capital of the Crusader County of Edessa The Second Crusade (1147&ndash1149 was the second major Crusade launched from Europe, called in 1145 in response to the fall of the County of Edessa the The last years of Bernard's life were saddened by the failure of the crusaders, the entire responsibility for which was thrown upon him. Bernard died at age 63, after 40 years spent in the cloister. He was the first Cistercian monk placed on the calendar of saints and was canonized by Pope Alexander III 18 January 1174. The Calendar of saints is a traditional Christian method of organizing a Liturgical year on the level of days by associating each day with one or more Saints Canonization is the act by which a particular Christian church declares a deceased person to be a Saint and is included in the canon or list of recognized saints Pope Alexander III (c 1100/1105 &ndash August 30, 1181) born Rolando (or Orlando) Bandinelli, was Pope from 1159 Events 350 - Generallus Magnentius deposes Roman Emperor Constans and proclaims himself Emperor Pope Pius VIII bestowed on him the title of Doctor of the Church. Pope Pius VIII ( November 20, 1761 &ndash December 1, 1830) born Francesco Saverio Castiglioni, was Pope in 1829 and 1830

Contents

Early life (1090-1113)

Bernard's parents were Tescelin, lord of Fontaines, and Aleth of Montbard, both belonging to the highest nobility of Burgundy. Burgundy (Bourgogne Burgund is a region historically situated in modern-day France and Switzerland, inhabited in turn by Celts ( Gauls) Bernard was the third of a family of seven children, six of whom were sons. At the age of nine years, Bernard was sent to school at Chatillon-sur-Seine, run by the secular canons of Saint-Vorles. Châtillon-sur-Seine is a commune of the Côte-d'Or department in eastern France. A canon (from the Latin canonicus, itself derived from the Greek κανωνικος 'relating to a rule' is a priest who is a member of certain bodies of the Bernard had a great taste for literature and devoted himself for some time to poetry. His success in his studies won the admiration of his teachers. Bernard wanted to excel in literature in order to take up the study of the Bible. Etymology According to the Online Etymology Dictionary, the word bible is from Latin biblia, traced from the same word through Medieval Latin and Late Latin He had a special devotion to the Virgin Mary, and he would later write several works about the Queen of Heaven. Queen of Heaven is a title given to the Blessed Virgin Mary by Christians, mainly Catholics and Orthodox, to whom the title is a consequence [1]

The Vision of St Bernard, by Fra Bartolommeo, c. 1504 (Uffizi).
The Vision of St Bernard, by Fra Bartolommeo, c. Fra Bartolomeo or Fra Bartolommeo ( di Pagholo) ( March 28, 1472 &ndash October 6, 1517) also known as Baccio della 1504 (Uffizi). The Uffizi Gallery (Galleria degli Uffizi one of the oldest and most famous Art Museums in the world is housed in the Palazzo degli Uffizi, a

Bernard would expand upon Anselm of Canterbury's role in transmuting the sacramentally ritual 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. Saint Anselm of Canterbury (1033 &ndash April 21, 1109) was an Italian medieval Philosopher, theologian, and church official The Early Middle Ages is a period in the History of Europe following the fall of the Western Roman Empire spanning roughly five centuries from AD 500 In opposition to the rational approach to divine understanding that the scholastics adopted, Bernard would preach an immediate faith, in which the intercessor was the Virgin Mary,

“ Bernard played the leading role in the development of the Virgin cult, which is one of the most important manifestations of the popular piety of the twelfth century. Scholasticism was the dominant form of theology and philosophy in the Latin West in the Middle Ages, particularly in the 12th 13th and 14th centuries In early medieval thought, the Virgin Mary had played a minor role and it was only with the rise of emotional Christianity in the eleventh century that she became the prime intercessor for humanity with the deity. "[2] ”

Bernard was only nineteen years of age when his mother died. During his youth, he did not escape trying temptations and around this time he thought of retiring from the world and living a life of solitude and prayer. [3]

In 1098, St Robert of Molesme had founded the monastery of Cîteaux, near Dijon, with the purpose of restoring the Rule of St Benedict in all its rigour. Saint Robert of Molesme (c 1028 &ndash 1111 was a Christian Saint and Abbot, one of the founders of the Cistercian Order in France This article concerns the buildings occupied by monastics. For the life inside monasteries and its historical roots see Monasticism. Cîteaux Abbey (French Abbaye de Cîteaux) is a Roman Catholic Abbey located in Saint-Nicolas-lès-Cîteaux, south of Dijon, Dijon ( diʒɔ̃ is a city in eastern France, the capital of the Côte-d'Or departement and of the Bourgogne region Returning to Molesmes, he left the government of the new abbey to St Alberic, who died in the year 1109. Saint Alberic of Citeaux (died January 26, 1108) also known as Alberic of Aubrey, was a Christian Saint and Abbot In 1113, St Stephen Harding had just succeeded him as third Abbot of Cîteaux when Bernard and thirty other young noblemen of Burgundy sought admission into the Cistercian order. Saint Stephen Harding (died March 28, 1134) is a Christian Saint and monastic Abbot, one of the founders of the Cistercian Cîteaux Abbey (French Abbaye de Cîteaux) is a Roman Catholic Abbey located in Saint-Nicolas-lès-Cîteaux, south of Dijon, [4]

Abbot of Clairvaux (1113-28)

Bernard exorcising a possession, altarpiece by Jörg Breu the Elder, c. 1500.
Bernard exorcising a possession, altarpiece by Jörg Breu the Elder, c. Jörg Breu the Elder (c 1475 &ndash 1537 of Augsburg was a painter of the German Danube school. 1500.

The little community of reformed Benedictines at Cîteaux, which would have so profound an influence on Western monasticism grew rapidly. Benedictine refers to the Spirituality and Consecrated life in accordance with the Rule of St Benedict, written by Benedict of Nursia in Monasticism (from Greek μοναχός, monachos, derived from Greek monos, alone is the religious practice in which one Three years later, Bernard was sent with a band of 12 monks to found a new house at Vallée d'Absinthe, in the Diocese of Langres. This Bernard named Claire Vallée, of Clairvaux, on the 25 June 1115 and the names of Bernard and Clairvaux would soon become inseparable. Events 524 - Battle of Vézeronce, the Franks defeat the Burgundians [5] During the absence of the Bishop of Langres, Bernard was blessed as abbot by William of Champeaux, Bishop of Châlons-sur-Marne. The word abbot, meaning Father, is a title given to the head of a Monastery in various traditions including Christianity. Guillaume de Champeaux ( c 1070 &ndash 1122 also known as William of Champeaux ( English) or Guglielmus de Campellis ( Latin) was From that moment a strong friendship sprang up between the abbot and the bishop, who was professor of theology at Notre Dame of Paris, and the founder of the cloister of St Victor. The Hunchback of Notre Dame (Notre-Dame de Paris is an 1831 French novel written by Victor Hugo. A cloister (from Latin claustrum) is a part of Cathedral, Monastic and Abbey architecture [1]

The beginnings of Clairvaux Abbey were trying and painful. Clairvaux Abbey ( Clara Vallis in Latin a Cistercian Monastery, was founded in 1115 by St The regime was so austere that Bernard became ill, and only the influence of his friend William of Champeaux, and the authority of the General Chapter could make him mitigate the austerities. The monastery, however, made rapid progress. Disciples flocked to it in great numbers and put themselves under the direction of Bernard. His father and all his brothers entered Clairvaux as religious, leaving only Humbeline, his sister, in the world and she, with the consent of her husband, soon took the veil in the Benedictine convent of Jully. Benedictine refers to the Spirituality and Consecrated life in accordance with the Rule of St Benedict, written by Benedict of Nursia in A convent is a community of Priests religious brothers religious sisters or Nuns or the building used by the community particularly in the Roman Catholic Church Jully is a commune in the Yonne département, in the French region of Bourgogne. Gerard of Clairvaux, Bernard's older brother became the cellarer of Citeaux. Saint Gerard of Clairvaux (died 1138 was the older brother of Bernard of Clairvaux. The abbey became too small for the religious who crowded there and it was necessary to send out bands to found new houses. In 1118, the Monastery of the Three Fountains was founded in the Diocese of Châlons. In 1119, that of Fontenay in the Diocese of Autun and in 1121, that of Foigny, near Vervins, in the Diocese of Laon were founded. The diocese of Laon was a Catholic Diocese in France for around 1300 years up to the French Revolution. In addition to these victories, Bernard also has his trials. During an absence from Clairvaux, the Grand Prior of Cluny went to Clairvaux and enticed away the Bernard's cousin, Robert of Châtillon. This was the occasion of the longest, and most emotional of Bernard's letters. [1]

The abbey of Cluny as it would have looked in Bernard's time.
The abbey of Cluny as it would have looked in Bernard's time.

In the year 1119, Bernard was present at the first general chapter of the order convoked by Stephen of Cîteaux. Though not yet 30 years old, Bernard was listened to with the greatest attention and respect, especially when he developed his thoughts upon the revival of the primitive spirit of regularity and fervour in all the monastic orders. It was this general chapter that gave definitive form to the constitutions of the order and the regulations of the Charter of Charity which Pope Callixtus II confirmed 23 December 1119. Blessed Pope Callixtus II (or Calistus II) (died December 13 1124) born Guy de Vienne, the fourth son of William I Count of Burgundy Events 962 - Byzantine-Arab Wars: Under the future Emperor Nicephorus Phocas, Byzantine troops stormed the city In 1120, Bernard authored his first work De Gradibus Superbiae et Humilitatis and his homilies which he entitles De Laudibus Mariae. The monks of the abbey of Cluny were unhappy to see Cîteaux take the lead rôle among the religious orders of the Roman Catholic Church. The Abbey of Cluny (or Cluni, or Clugny, pronunciation klyˈni is an abbey in France. For this reason, the Black Monks attempted to make it appear that the rules of the new order were impracticable. This article concerns Roman Catholic Order of Saint Benedict see also Benedictine Confederation and Benedictine. At the solicitation of William of St. Thierry, Bernard defended the order by publishing his Apology which was divided into two parts. In the first part, he proved himself innocent of the charges of Cluny and in the second he gave his reasons for his counterattacks. He protested his profound esteem for the Benedictines of Cluny whom he declared he loved equally as well as the other religious orders. Peter the Venerable, Abbot of Cluny, answered Benedict and assured him of his great admiration and sincere friendship. Peter the Venerable (about 1092 – December 25, 1156 in Cluny, France) also known as Peter of Montboissier, abbot of The Abbot of Cluny was the head of the powerful monastery of Cluny Abbey in medieval France. In the meantime Cluny established a reform, and Abbot Suger, the minister of Louis VI of France, was converted by the Apology of Bernard. Suger (c 1081 &ndash 13 January 1151) was one of the last French abbot-statesmen a historian and the influential first patron of Gothic architecture Louis VI ( 1 December 1081 – 1 August 1137) called the Fat (le Gros was King of France from 1108 until his death (1137 He hastened to terminate his worldly life and restore discipline in his monastery. The zeal of Bernard extended to the bishops, the clergy, and lay people. Bernard's letter to the Archbishop of Sens was seen as a real treatise, De Officiis Episcoporum. About the same time he wrote his work on Grace and Free Will. [1]

Doctor of the Church (1128-46)

Pope Honorius II called the Council of Troyes.
Pope Honorius II called the Council of Troyes.

In the year 1128, Bernard assisted at the Council of Troyes, which had been convoked by Pope Honorius II, and was presided over by Cardinal Matthew, Bishop of Albano. There have been a number of councils held at Troyes: 867 - proclaimed that no Bishop could be disposed without reference to the Holy See also Antipope Honorius II, otherwise known as Peter Cadalus Matthew of Albano (died 1134 was a French Benedictine monk and Cardinal, and Papal legate. The purpose of this council was to settle certain disputes of the bishops of Paris, and regulate other matters of the Church of France. The Church of France, sometimes called the "eldest daughter of the Church" owing to its early communion (second century with the bishop of Rome is part of the worldwide The bishops made Bernard secretary of the council, and charged him with drawing up the synodal statutes. After the council, the Bishop of Verdun was deposed. The Bishopric of Verdun was also a state of the Holy Roman Empire; it was located at the western edge of the Empire and was bordered by France the Duchy of Luxembourg Again unjust reproaches arose against Bernard and he was denounced even in Rome. He was accused of being a monk who meddled with matters that did not concern him. Cardinal Harmeric, on behalf of the pope, wrote Bernard a sharp letter of remonstrance stating, "It is not fitting that noisy and troublesome frogs should come out of their marshes to trouble the Holy See and the cardinals". [1] Bernard answered the letter by saying that, if he had assisted at the council, it was because he had been dragged to it by force. In his response Bernard wrote, "Now illustrious Harmeric if you so wished, who would have been more capable of freeing me from the necessity of assisting at the council than yourself? Forbid those noisy troublesome frogs to come out of their holes, to leave their marshes . . . Then your friend will no longer be exposed to the accusations of pride and presumption". [1] This letter made a great impression upon the cardinal, and justified its author both in his eyes and before the Holy See. The Holy See is the episcopal jurisdiction of the Bishop of Rome, commonly known as the Pope, and is the preeminent Episcopal see of the Roman Catholic It was at this council that Bernard traced the outlines of the Rule of the Knights Templar who soon became the ideal of Christian nobility. The Poor Fellow-Soldiers of Christ and of the Temple of Solomon (Pauperes commilitones Christi Templique Solomonici commonly known as the Knights Templar or the Order He later praised them in his De Laudibus Novae Militiae. [6]

Schism

Bernard's influence was soon felt in provincial affairs. He defended the rights of the Church against the encroachments of kings and princes, and recalled to their duty Henri Sanglier, Archbishop of Sens and Stephen of Senlis, Bishop of Paris. On the death of Pope Honorius II, which occurred on 14 February 1130, a schism broke out in the Church by the election of two popes, Pope Innocent II and Pope Anacletus II. See also Antipope Honorius II, otherwise known as Peter Cadalus Events 842 - Charles the Bald and Louis the German swear the Oaths of Strasbourg in the French and German Anacletus II, born Pietro Pierleoni, (died January 25 1138) was an Antipope who ruled from 1131 to his death in a schism against Innocent II having been banished from Rome by Anacletus took refuge in France. King Louis VI convened a national council of the French bishops at Etampes, and Bernard, summoned there by consent of the bishops, was chosen to judge between the rival popes. Étampes is a commune in the metropolitan area of Paris, France. He decided in favour of Innocent II. This caused the Pope to be recognized by all the great powers. He then went with him into Italy and reconciled Pisa with Genoa, and Milan with the Pope. Pisa is a city in Tuscany, central Italy, on the right bank of the mouth of the Arno River on the Ligurian Sea. Genoa ( Genova, ˈdʒɛːnova in Italian; Zena in Genoese and Ligurian; Genua in Latin and archaically in English Milan (Milano Milan (listen) is one of the largest cities in Italy, located in the plains of Lombardy. The same year Bernard was again at the Council of Reims at the side of Innocent II. He then went to Aquitaine where he succeeded for the time in detaching William X of Aquitaine, Count of Poitiers, from the cause of Anacletus. Aquitaine (Aquitània Akitania archaic Guyenne / Guienne (Occitan Guiana) is one of the 26 Regions of France, in the south-western part of Among the men who have borne the title of Count of Poitiers (or Poitou, in what is now France but in the Middle Ages became [7]

St Bernard in a medieval illuminated manuscript.
St Bernard in a medieval illuminated manuscript. An illuminated manuscript is a Manuscript in which the text is supplemented by the addition of decoration such as decorated Initials borders and

In 1132, Bernard accompanied Innocent II into Italy, and at Cluny the Pope abolished the dues which Clairvaux used to pay to that abbey. This action gave rise to a quarrel between the White Monks and the Black Monks which lasted 20 years. In May of that year, the Pope supported by the army of Emperor Lothaire III, 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. Lothair III of Supplinburg (1075 &ndash 1137 was Duke of Saxony (1106 King of Germany (1125 and Holy Roman Emperor from 1133 to 1137 Bernard had returned to France in June, and was continuing the work of peacemaking which he had commenced in 1130. Towards the end of 1134, he made a second journey into Aquitaine, where William X had relapsed into schism. Bernard invited William to the Mass which he celebrated in the Church of La Couldre. At the Eucharist, he "admonished the Duke not to despise God as he did His servants". The Eucharist, also called Holy Communion or Lord's Supper and other names is a Christian Sacrament by which in a common interpretation those [1] William yielded and the schism ended. Bernard went again to Italy, where Roger II of Sicily was endeavouring to withdraw the Pisans from their allegiance to Innocent. Roger II ( 22 December 1095 &ndash 26 February 1154) was King of Sicily, son of Roger I of Sicily and successor to his He recalled the city of Milan to obedience to the Pope as they had followed the deposed Anselm V, Archbishop of Milan. For this, he was offered, and he refused, the Archbishopric of Milan. He then returned to Clairvaux. Believing himself at last secure in his cloister, Bernard devoted himself with renewed vigour to the composition of the works which would win for him the title of "Doctor of the Church". Doctor of the Church ( Latin doctor, teacher from Latin docere, to teach is a title given by a variety of Christian Churches to individuals He wrote at this time his sermons on the Song of Songs. In 1137 he was again forced to leave his solitude by order of the Pope to put an end to the quarrel between Lothaire and Roger of Sicily. At the conference held at Palermo, Bernard succeeded in convincing Roger of the rights of Innocent II. He also silenced the final supporters who sustained the schism. Anacletus died of "grief and disappointment" in 1138, and with him the schism ended. [1]

Contest with Abelard

In 1139, Bernard assisted at the Second Council of the Lateran, in which the surviving adherents of the schism were definitively condemned. The Second Lateran and tenth Ecumenical council was held by Pope Innocent II in April 1139, and was attended by close to a thousand clerics About the same time, Bernard was visited at Clairvaux by St Malachi, Primate of All Ireland, and a very close friendship was formed between them. St Malachy or Máel Máedóc Ua Morgair ( Modern Irish: Maelmhaedhoc Ó Morgair; 1094 - November 2, 1148) was the Primate of All Ireland is a title held by the Archbishops of Armagh, in both the Roman Catholic and Church of Ireland traditions and signifies that within Malachi wanted to become a Cistercian, but the Pope would not give his permission. Malachi would die at Clairvaux in 1148. [1]

Towards the close of the 11th century, the schools of philosophy and theology were dominated by a spirit of independence. Philosophy is the study of general problems concerning matters such as existence knowledge truth beauty justice validity mind and language Theology is the study of a god or the gods from a religious perspective This led for a time to the exaltation of human reason and rationalism. This movement found an ardent and powerful adherent in Peter Abelard. Abelard's treatise on the Trinity had been condemned in 1121, and he himself had thrown his book into the fire. SSC RF "Troitsk Institute of Innovative and Termonuclear Research" or TRINITY for shprt Троицкий Институт инновационных и термоядерных In 1139, Abelard advocated new positions at odds with those of Rome. Bernard, informed of this by William of St-Thierry, wrote to Abelard who answered in an insulting manner. William of St-Thierry was a theologian and mystic so called from the monastery of which he was abbot Bernard then denounced him to the Pope who called a council at Sens in 1141 to settle the matter. There, Abelard asked for a public debate with Bernard. Bernard's delivered Rome's case with such clearness and force of logic that Abelard made no reply. He was obliged, after being condemned, to retire. The 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. [8]

Cistercian Order and heresy

Bernard had occupied himself in sending bands of monks from his too-crowded monastery into Germany, Sweden, England, Ireland, Portugal, Switzerland, and Italy. Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany ( ˈbʊndəsʁepuˌbliːk ˈdɔʏtʃlant is a Country in Central Europe. "Sverige" redirects here For other uses see Sweden (disambiguation and Sverige (disambiguation. England is a Country which is part of the United Kingdom. Its inhabitants account for more than 83% of the total UK population whilst its mainland Ireland (pronounced /ˈaɾlənd/ Éire) is the third largest island in Europe, and the twentieth-largest island in the world Portugal, officially the Portuguese Republic (República Portuguesa is a country on the Iberian Peninsula. Switzerland (English pronunciation; Schweiz Swiss German: Schwyz or Schwiiz Suisse Svizzera Svizra officially the Swiss Confederation Some of these, at the command of Innocent II, took possession of Three Fountains Abbey, from which Pope Eugenius III would be chosen in 1145. Pope Innocent II died in 1143. His two successors, Pope Celestine II and Pope Lucius II, reigned only a short time, and then Bernard saw one of his disciples, Bernard of Pisa, and known thereafter as Eugenius III, raised to the Chair of Saint Peter. Pope Celestine II (died March 8, 1144) born Guido di Castello, was Pope from 1143 to 1144 Pope Lucius II (died 15 February, 1145) born Gherardo Caccianemici dal Orso, was Pope from March 9, 1144 until his death The Cathedra Petri ( Latin) or Chair of Saint Peter is usually understood of a particular chair preserved in St [9] Bernard sent him, at the Pope's own request, various instructions which compose the Book of Considerations, the predominating idea of which is that the reformation of the Church ought to commence with the sanctity of the Pope. Temporal matters are merely accessories, the principals according to Bernard's work were piety, and meditation which was to precede action. [10]

Having previously helped end the schism within the Church, Bernard was now called upon to combat heresy. Henry of Lausanne, a former Cluniac monk, had adopted the teachings of the Petrobrusians, followers of Peter of Bruys and spread them in a modified form after Peter's death. Henry of Lausanne (variously known as of Bruys of Cluny of Toulouse of Le Mans and as the Deacon sometimes referred to as Henry the Monk) French Heresiarch of The Abbey of Cluny (or Cluni, or Clugny, pronunciation klyˈni is an abbey in France. Peter of Bruys (also known as Pierre De Bruys or Peter de Bruis; fl [11] Henry of Lausanne's followers became known as Henricians. In June 1145, at the invitation of Cardinal Alberic of Ostia, Bernard traveled in Southern France. Alberic of Ostia (1080 &ndash 1147 was a Benedictine monk and Cardinal Bishop of Ostia from 1138-1147 [12] His preaching, aided by his ascetic looks and simple attire, helped doom the new sects. Both the Henrician and the Petrobrusian faiths began to die out by the end of that year. Soon afterwards, Henry of Lausanne was arrested, brought before the Bishop of Toulouse, and probably imprisoned for life. In a letter to the people of Toulouse, undoubtedly written at the end of 1146, Bernard calls upon them to extirpate the last remnants of the heresy. He also preached against the Cathars. [13]

Second Crusade (1146-49)

News came at this time from the Holy Land that alarmed Christendom. The Holy Land ( Arabic: الأرض المقدسة al-Arḍ ul-Muqaddasah;Ancient Aramaic: ארעא קדישא Ar'a Qaddisha; Hebrew: ארץ_הקודש Christendom usually refers to Christianity as a territorial phenomenon Christians had been defeated at the Siege of Edessa and most of the county had fallen into the hands of the Turks. The Siege of Edessa took place from November 28 to December 24, 1144, resulting in the fall of the capital of the Crusader County of Edessa The Seljuq (also Seljuq Turks, Seldjuks, Seldjuqs, Seljuks; in Turkish Selçuklular; in Ṣaljūqīyān; in [14] The Kingdom of Jerusalem and the other Crusader states were threatened with similar disaster. This article is about the Christian kingdom For the history of the city see History of Jerusalem The Kingdom of Jerusalem was a Christian The Crusader states were a number of mostly 12th- and 13th-century feudal states created by Western European Crusaders in Asia Minor, Greece and Deputations of the bishops of Armenia solicited aid from the Pope, and the King of France also sent ambassadors. The Armenian Kingdom of Cilicia (also known as Little Armenia, Kingdom of Lesser Armenia, Cilician Kingdom; Classical Armenian: Կիլիկիոյ The Pope commissioned Bernard to preach a Second Crusade and granted the same indulgences for it which Pope Urban II had accorded to the First Crusade. The Second Crusade (1147&ndash1149 was the second major Crusade launched from Europe, called in 1145 in response to the fall of the County of Edessa the Pope The First Crusade was launched in 1095 by Pope Urban II with the dual goals of conquering the sacred city of Jerusalem and the Holy Land and freeing [15]

Bernard of Clairvaux, true effigy by Georg Andreas Wasshuber (1650-1732).
Bernard of Clairvaux, true effigy by Georg Andreas Wasshuber (1650-1732).

There was at first virtually no popular enthusiasm for the crusade as there had been in 1095. Bernard found it expedient to dwell upon the taking of the cross as a potent means of gaining absolution for sin and attaining grace. On 31 March, with King Louis present, he preached to an enormous crowd in a field at Vézelay. Vézelay is a commune in the Yonne département in the Bourgogne région of France. When Bernard was finished the croud enlisted en masse; they supposedly ran out of cloth to make crosses. Bernard is said to have given his own outer garments to be cut up to make more. [15] Unlike the First Crusade, the new venture attracted Royalty, such as Eleanor of Aquitaine, then Queen of France; Thierry of Alsace, Count of Flanders; Henry, the future Count of Champagne; Louis’ brother Robert I of Dreux; Alphonse I of Toulouse; William II of Nevers; William de Warenne, 3rd Earl of Surrey; Hugh VII of Lusignan; and numerous other nobles and bishops. For other Eleanors of England see Eleanor of England (disambiguation Eleanor Duchess of Aquitaine (1122&ndash1 April 1204 Thierry of Alsace (Dietrich (c 1099 &ndash January 17, 1168) in Flanders known as Diederik van den Elzas, was Count of Flanders from 1128 counts of Flanders were the Rulers over the county of Flanders from the 9th century until the abolition of the Countship by the French revolutionaries Henry I of Champagne (died March 17, 1181) known as "the Liberal" was Count of Champagne from 1152 to 1181 Counts of Champagne ruled the region of Champagne from 950 to 1316 Robert I of Dreux, (Robert I Capet nicknamed the Great (c 1123 &ndash October 11, 1188) was the fifth son of Louis VI of France and Alfonso Jordan ( French: Alphonse Jourdain; 1103 &ndash 1148 was the Count of Tripoli from 1105 until 1109 and thereafter Count of Toulouse William II Count of Nevers (born prior to 1089 reigned 1098 - 21 August, 1148) was a Crusader in the Crusade of 1101. William de Warenne 3rd Earl of Surrey (d 1148 was the eldest son of the William de Warenne 2nd Earl of Surrey and Elizabeth de Vermandois. Hugh VII the Brown of Lusignan or Hugues II de La Marche or Hugues VII & II le Brun de Lusignan (1065 &ndash 1151 Sire de Lusignan Couhé and Château-Larcher But an even greater show of support came from the common people. Bernard wrote to the Pope a few days afterwards, "Cities and castles are now empty. There is not left one man to seven women, and everywhere there are widows to still living husbands. "[15]

Bernard then passed into Germany, and the reported miracles which multiplied almost at his every step undoubtedly contributed to the success of his mission. Conrad III of Germany and his nephew Frederick Barbarossa, received the cross from the hand of Bernard. Conrad III (1093 &ndash 15 February 1152) was the first King of Germany of the Hohenstaufen dynasty Frederick I Barbarossa (1122 &ndash 10 June 1190) was elected King of Germany at Frankfurt on 4 March 1152 and crowned [16] Pope Eugenius came in person to France to encourage the enterprise. As in the First Crusade, the preaching inadvertently led to attacks on Jews; a fanatical French monk named Rudolphe was apparently inspiring massacres of Jews in the Rhineland, Cologne, Mainz, Worms, and Speyer, with Rudolphe claiming Jews were not contributing financially to the rescue of the Holy Land. PLEASE TAKE NOTE************ Mainz (ˈmaɪ̯nʦ (Mayence is a City in Germany and the capital of the German federal state of Rhineland-Palatinate. Worms (voɐms is a City in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany, on the Rhine River Speyer (English formerly Spires) is a City in Germany ( Rhineland-Palatinate) with approx The Archbishop of Cologne and the Archbishop of Mainz were vehemently opposed to these attacks and asked Bernard to denounce them. Bishops and Archbishops of Cologne Bishops of Colonia Agrippina, 88–784 All names before Maternus ('II' are to be approached with considerable The Archbishopric of Mainz (Erzbistum Mainz or Electorate of Mainz (Kurfürstentum Mainz or Kurmainz) was an influential ecclesiastic and secular Prince-bishopric This he did, but when the campaign continued, Bernard traveled from Flanders to Germany to deal with the problems in person. He then found Rudolphe in Mainz and was able to silence him, returning him to his monastery. [17]

The last years of Bernard's life were saddened by the failure of the Second Crusade he had preached, the entire responsibility for which was thrown upon him. [18] He had accredited the enterprise by his reported miracles, but he had not guaranteed its success against the misconduct of those who participated in it. Lack of discipline and the over-confidence of the German troops, the intrigues of the Prince of Antioch and his niece Queen Eleanor, and finally the blunders of the Christian nobles, who failed at the siege of Damascus, appear to have been the cause of disaster. The Principality of Antioch, including parts of modern-day Turkey and Syria, was one of the Crusader states created during the First Crusade The Siege of Damascus took place over four days in July 1148 during the Second Crusade. Bernard considered it his duty to send an apology to the Pope and it is inserted in the second part of his Book of Considerations. There he explains how the sins of the crusaders were the cause of their misfortune and failures. When his attempt to call a new crusade failed, he tried to disassociate himself from the fiasco of the Second Crusade altogether. [19]

Final years (1149-53)

Bernard receiving milk from the breast of the Virgin Mary. The scene is a legend which allegedly took place at Speyer Cathedral in 1146.
Bernard receiving milk from the breast of the Virgin Mary. The scene is a legend which allegedly took place at Speyer Cathedral in 1146. The Speyer Cathedral is a very large and imposing Basilica of red Sandstone in Speyer, Germany.

The death of his contemporaries served as a warning to Bernard of his own approaching end. The first to die was Suger in 1152, of whom Bernard 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". Conrad III and his son Henry died the same year. From the beginning of the year 1153, Bernard felt his death approaching. The passing of Pope Eugenius had struck the fatal blow by taking from him one whom he considered his greatest friend and consoler. Bernard died at age 63 on 20 August 1153, after 40 years spent in the cloister. Events 636 - Battle of Yarmouk: Arab forces led by Khalid ibn al-Walid take control of Syria and Palestine [20]

Theology

Main article: Doctor Mellifluus

At the 800th anniversary of his death, Pope Pius XII issued an encyclical on Bernard, Doctor Mellifluus in which he labeled him The Last of the Fathers. Doctor Mellifluus is an Encyclical of Pope Pius XII on the doctor of the Church Bernhard of Clairvaux, given at Rome St Pope Doctor Mellifluus is an Encyclical of Pope Pius XII on the doctor of the Church Bernhard of Clairvaux, given at Rome St Berhard did not reject human philosophy which is genuine philosophy, which leads to God; he differentiates different kind of knowledge, the highest being theological. Three central elements of Berhard’s mariology are: how he explained the virginity of Mary, the “Star of the Sea”, how the faithful should pray on the Virgin Mary, and how he relied on the Virgin Mary as Mediatrix. Mediatrix in Roman Catholic Mariology refers to the role of the Blessed Virgin Mary as a mediator in the salvation process

Legacy

Bernhard's theology and mariology continue to be of major importance, particularly within the Cistercian and Trappist orders. [21] Bernard led to the foundation of 163 monasteries in different parts of Europe. At his death, they numbered 343. His influence led Pope Alexander III to launch reforms that would lead to the establishment of canon law. Pope Alexander III (c 1100/1105 &ndash August 30, 1181) born Rolando (or Orlando) Bandinelli, was Pope from 1159 Canon Law, the Ecclesiastical law of the Catholic Church, is a fully developed legal system with all the necessary elements courts lawyers judges a fully articulated [22] He was the first Cistercian monk placed on the calendar of saints and was canonized by Pope Alexander III 18 January 1174. The Calendar of saints is a traditional Christian method of organizing a Liturgical year on the level of days by associating each day with one or more Saints Canonization is the act by which a particular Christian church declares a deceased person to be a Saint and is included in the canon or list of recognized saints Pope Alexander III (c 1100/1105 &ndash August 30, 1181) born Rolando (or Orlando) Bandinelli, was Pope from 1159 Events 350 - Generallus Magnentius deposes Roman Emperor Constans and proclaims himself Emperor Pope Pius VIII bestowed on him the title of Doctor of the Church. Pope Pius VIII ( November 20, 1761 &ndash December 1, 1830) born Francesco Saverio Castiglioni, was Pope in 1829 and 1830 He became remembered as the Mellifluous Doctor, the Honey-Sweet Doctor, for his eloquence. The Cistercians honour him as only the founders of orders are honoured, because of the widespread activity which he gave to the order. [23] The works of Bernard are as follows:

His sermons are also numerous:

Many letters, treatises, and other works, falsely attributed to him survive, such as the l'Echelle du Cloître, les Méditations, and l'Edification de la Maison intérieure.

Dante Alighieri's Divine Comedy places him as the last guide for Dante, as he travels through the Empyrean. The Divine Comedy As the final guide, he represents the Contemplative Soul who is able to lead Dante to his viewing of God.

Stained glass representing Bernard. Upper Rhine, ca. 1450.
Stained glass representing Bernard. Upper Rhine, ca. 1450.

Notes

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i "St Bernard of Clairvaux" in the 1913 Catholic Encyclopedia.
  2. ^ Cantor (1993) p. 341.
  3. ^ Bunson (1998) p. 129.
  4. ^ McManners (1990) p. 204.
  5. ^ Bunson (1998) p. 129.
  6. ^ Durant (1950) p. 593.
  7. ^ Bunson (1998) p. 129.
  8. ^ Bunson (1998) p. 129.
  9. ^ Bunson (1998) p. 130.
  10. ^ McManners (1990) p. 210.
  11. ^ (1911) Henry of Lausanne. Encyclopedia Britannica.  
  12. ^ McManners (1990) p. 211.
  13. ^ Bunson (1998) p. 130.
  14. ^ Riley-Smith (1991) p. 48
  15. ^ a b c Durant (1950) p. 594.
  16. ^ Riley-Smith (1991) p. 48
  17. ^ Durant (1950) p. 391.
  18. ^ Bunson (1998) p. 130.
  19. ^ Runciman (1952) pp. 232-234 and pg. 277.
  20. ^ Bunson (1998) p. 130.
  21. ^ His texts are prescribed readings in Cistercian congregations
  22. ^ Duffy (1997) p. 101.
  23. ^ Bunson (1998) p. 130.

References

External links



Persondata
NAME Bernard of Clairvaux
ALTERNATIVE NAMES
SHORT DESCRIPTION French abbot, theologian
DATE OF BIRTH 1090
PLACE OF BIRTH Fontaines, France
DATE OF DEATH August 21, 1153
PLACE OF DEATH Clairvaux, France

This article is about the country For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic France topics. Events 1192 - Minamoto Yoritomo becomes Seii Tai Shōgun and the De facto ruler of Japan. Clairvaux Abbey ( Clara Vallis in Latin a Cistercian Monastery, was founded in 1115 by St This article is about the country For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic France topics.
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