Blessed Gilbert the Great
Blessed Gilbert of Hoyland (born c. 1110 AD in Hoyland, Yorkshire, England; died October 17, 1172 AD in L'Étoile Abbey, Poitou, France) was an English Catholic Cistercian monk and abbot of Swineshead Abbey, Lincolnshire, celebrated as a theologian and spiritual writer whose Sermons on the Song of Songs continued the unfinished work of Saint Bernard of Clairvaux. He is venerated as "Blessed Gilbert the Great" in the Cistercian tradition. His feast day is October 17 (or June 6 in some calendars).
Stored in Cargo: Blessed Gilbert the Great
| Blessed Gilbert the Great | |
|---|---|
| Feast Day | October 17 |
| Profession | English Catholic Cistercian monk and abbot; born Yorkshire c. 1110; abbot of Swineshead Abbey Lincolnshire; continued Saint Bernard's Sermons on the Song of Songs; theologian and spiritual writer; died L'Étoile Abbey Poitou France October 17 1172; venerated as "the Great" in Cistercian tradition; feast October 17 |
| Rel. Affiliation | Catholic Church; Cistercian Order (OCSO); medieval English and French monastic theology; 12th-century Cistercian mysticism; Bernardine theological tradition |
| Patronage | Cistercian monks; theologians; spiritual writers; contemplatives; England; Lincolnshire; Yorkshire |
| Attributes | Cistercian white habit; book (Sermons on Song of Songs); October 17 feast; English fenland setting; image of Saint Bernard (whose work he continued) |
| Birthplace | Yorkshire, England |
| Death Place | L'Étoile Abbey, Poitou, France |
| Cause of Death | Natural death; died October 17, 1172, at L'Étoile Abbey, Poitou, France; Blessed Gilbert the Great (Gilbert of Hoyland) was an English Cistercian monk and abbot who completed Saint Bernard of Clairvaux's Sermons on the Song of Songs after Bernard's death (1153); he was abbot of Swineshead Abbey in Lincolnshire and was renowned for his holiness and theological learning; he is venerated as "the Great" in the Cistercian tradition; feast October 17 |
| Primary Shrine | Swineshead, Lincolnshire, England; October 17 feast |
| Liturgical Class | Not in universal Roman calendar; October 17 feast in the Cistercian Order |
| Historic Class | Not in 1962 calendar |
Biography
Gilbert of Hoyland was born c. 1110 in Yorkshire, England. He became a Cistercian monk and eventually abbot of Swineshead Abbey in Lincolnshire, which he led with holiness and learning.
After Saint Bernard of Clairvaux's death in 1153, Gilbert undertook to continue Bernard's unfinished Sermons on the Song of Songs, writing 48 additional sermons in a style faithful to Bernard's spirit. He was admired as a theologian and spiritual writer, earning the title "the Great" in the Cistercian tradition.
He died October 17, 1172, at L'Étoile Abbey in Poitou, France, while traveling. His feast day is October 17.
Significant locations
Legend
Birth location: Yorkshire, England
Death location: L'Étoile Abbey, Poitou, France
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Feast day
October 17
Veneration
Blessed Gilbert the Great (c. 1110–1172) was an English Cistercian abbot of Swineshead Abbey, Lincolnshire, who continued Saint Bernard's Sermons on the Song of Songs in 48 additional sermons and is venerated as "the Great" in the Cistercian tradition; died October 17, 1172. Feast October 17.
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