Saint Bernard
Saint Bernard of Clairvaux (born August 20, 1090 in Fontaines-lès-Dijon, Burgundy, France; died August 20, 1153 at Clairvaux Abbey, Champagne, France) was a French Cistercian monk, abbot, theologian, mystic, preacher, and Doctor of the Church who exercised an extraordinary influence over the religious, political, and intellectual life of twelfth-century Europe. He reformed the Cistercian Order, founded the Abbey of Clairvaux, preached the Second Crusade, drove a resolution to the schism of Antipope Anacletus II, combated the theological novelties of Peter Abelard, shaped the theology of the Blessed Virgin Mary, and wrote mystical and ascetical works that remained central to Catholic spirituality for centuries. He was canonized in 1174 by Pope Alexander III and declared a Doctor of the Church in 1830 by Pope Pius VIII, receiving the title Doctor Mellifluus ("the Honey-sweet Doctor") for the sweetness of his preaching and writing. His feast day is August 20.
Bernard of Clairvaux is one of the towering figures of medieval Christianity—arguably the most influential churchman of the twelfth century, shaping monasticism, theology, Marian devotion, and the political life of the Church in ways that outlasted his lifetime by centuries.
Stored in Cargo: Saint Bernard
| Saint Bernard | |
|---|---|
| Feast Day | August 20 |
| Profession | Cistercian monk; abbot; theologian; Doctor of the Church |
| Rel. Affiliation | Order of Cistercians (Cistercians) |
| Patronage | Cistercians; beekeepers and bees (allusion to Doctor Mellifluus); Gibraltar; Speyer Cathedral; Burgundy; candlemakers |
| Attributes | White Cistercian habit; beehive (Doctor Mellifluus); three mitres at his feet (three bishoprics he refused); Our Lady appearing to him; book of the Rule; the devil in chains (allusion to his conflict with Antipope Anacletus) |
| Birthplace | Fontaines-lès-Dijon, Côte-d'Or, Burgundy, France |
| Death Place | Clairvaux Abbey, Ville-sous-la-Ferté, Aube, France |
| Cause of Death | Natural causes; exhaustion and illness |
| Primary Shrine | Clairvaux Abbey (now a prison, historically; his relics were dispersed at the Revolution); major relics at Troyes Cathedral |
| Liturgical Class | Memorial |
| Historic Class | August 20 |
Biography
Early life and entry into Cîteaux
Bernard was born on August 20, 1090, in the castle of Fontaines near Dijon, the third son of Tescelin Sorrel, a Burgundian knight, and Aleth of Montbard. He was educated at Châtillon-sur-Seine by the canons of Saint-Vorles, showing exceptional ability in the study of Latin letters, Scripture, and the Church Fathers. His mother Aleth died when he was young; he later attributed his spiritual formation largely to her influence.
In 1113, at the age of twenty-three, Bernard entered the reformed Cistercian abbey of Cîteaux—founded by Saint Robert of Molesme in 1098 as a reaction to the perceived laxity of the Cluniacs. He did not come alone: his powers of persuasion were such that he brought thirty companions with him, including several of his brothers and an uncle.
Founding of Clairvaux
Within two years, Bernard's superiors—recognizing his extraordinary gifts—sent him in 1115 to found a new daughter house. He chose a remote valley in Champagne, calling it Clara Vallis, Clairvaux ("Clear Valley"). He governed Clairvaux as abbot for thirty-eight years, until his death.
Clairvaux grew rapidly from a community of difficulty and poverty in the early years to one of the most influential monasteries in Christendom. Under Bernard's direction it founded sixty-eight daughter houses. The Cistercian Order itself, through Bernard's influence, expanded from perhaps a dozen houses in 1115 to around 350 at his death in 1153.
Influence on the Church and papacy
Bernard's influence extended far beyond the cloister. He became, effectively, the conscience of the twelfth-century Church:
- **The Anacletan Schism** — When Pope Honorius II died in 1130 and two rival popes were elected (Innocent II and Anacletus II), Bernard championed Innocent II with fierce energy, persuading the kings of France, Germany, England, and Scotland to recognize him and ultimately securing the end of the schism (1138).
- **Peter Abelard** — Bernard clashed with the great scholastic theologian Peter Abelard, whom he regarded as applying dialectical method to revealed mysteries in a way that undermined the faith. He secured Abelard's condemnation at the Council of Sens (1140) and by Pope Innocent II.
- **The Knights Templar** — Bernard drafted the Liber ad milites Templi de laude novae militiae ("In Praise of the New Knighthood"), a famous text that gave theological legitimacy to the idea of the military order—monks who fought—and at the Council of Troyes in 1129 helped draft the Templar Rule.
- **The Second Crusade** — Bernard was commissioned by Pope Eugenius III to preach the Second Crusade. On March 31, 1146, he preached from the hill of Vézelay to a vast crowd, with King Louis VII of France at his feet; his preaching generated a response so enthusiastic that he reportedly tore up his own cloak to make enough crosses for the volunteers. The crusade itself (1147–1149) ended in failure; Bernard bore this as a spiritual cross, attributing the failure to the sins of the crusaders.
- **Pope Eugenius III** — Pope Eugenius III (1145–1153) had been a monk at Clairvaux under Bernard. Bernard addressed to him his famous treatise De consideratione ("On Consideration"), a meditation on the proper spiritual disposition of a pope—one of the classic texts of ecclesiastical governance.
Theology and spiritual writing
Bernard was a prolific writer and preacher whose works remain widely read. His major works include:
- **Sermones super Cantica Canticorum** — 86 sermons on the Song of Songs; among the greatest mystical commentaries in the Christian tradition; never completed (he died before finishing the series).
- **De diligendo Deo** ("On Loving God") — a treatise on the degrees of love, ascending from self-love to love of God for God's own sake.
- **De gratia et libero arbitrio** ("On Grace and Free Will") — a careful theological treatment of the relationship between divine grace and human freedom.
- **De consideratione** — addressed to Pope Eugenius III; on the spiritual life of a pope.
- **Numerous sermons and letters** — over 500 letters survive, a major documentary source for the history of the twelfth-century Church.
His Marian piety was particularly influential. He is credited with popularizing or developing many Marian devotional forms, including the Memorare prayer (traditionally attributed to him, though the attribution is debated). He famously halted a choir chanting the Salve Regina to add a musical embellishment to the word O in O clemens, O pia, O dulcis Virgo Maria—a story (possibly legendary) that captures the warmth of his Marian devotion.
Death
Bernard died on August 20, 1153—his sixty-third birthday—at Clairvaux. He had been ill for years, worn out by his extraordinary activity. He was buried in the abbey church at Clairvaux.
Significant events
- Born August 20, 1090, Fontaines-lès-Dijon, Burgundy.
- Entered Cîteaux with 30 companions in 1113.
- Founded Clairvaux Abbey in 1115; abbot for 38 years.
- Championed Innocent II in the Anacletan Schism (1130–1138).
- Secured condemnation of Peter Abelard at Council of Sens (1140).
- Drafted the Rule of the Knights Templar at the Council of Troyes (1129).
- Preached the Second Crusade from Vézelay, March 31, 1146.
- Addressed De consideratione to Pope Eugenius III.
- Wrote 86 Sermones super Cantica Canticorum (unfinished).
- Died August 20, 1153, Clairvaux.
- Canonized January 18, 1174 by Pope Alexander III.
- Declared Doctor of the Church 1830 by Pope Pius VIII (Doctor Mellifluus).
Significant locations
Legend
Birth location: Fontaines-lès-Dijon, Côte-d'Or, Burgundy, France
Death location: Clairvaux Abbey, Ville-sous-la-Ferté, Aube, France
Notable location: Abbey he founded in 1115; governed as abbot for 38 years; the mother house of the Bernardine Cistercian reform (Clairvaux Abbey, Ville-sous-la-Ferté, Aube, France)
Notable location: The motherhouse of the Cistercian Order, which Bernard entered with thirty companions in 1113 (Cîteaux Abbey, Saint-Nicolas-lès-Cîteaux, Côte-d'Or, France)
Notable location: Council of Troyes 1129 — Bernard drafted the Rule of the Knights Templar (Troyes, Aube, France)
Notable location: Addressed the Council of the Lateran (1139) and the papacy on the Anacletan schism (Rome, Italy)
Notable location: Preached the Second Crusade from here on March 31, 1146 (Vezelay, Yonne, France)
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Media
Shrines
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No shrines where this saint is the primary saint.
Known shrines
- Clairvaux Abbey, Ville-sous-la-Ferté, Aube, France — the abbey he founded; now converted to a prison; historically the principal site of his veneration; his relics were largely dispersed at the French Revolution.
- Cathedral of Saint Peter and Saint Paul, Troyes, Aube, France — holds significant relics of Saint Bernard.
Canonization
Saint Bernard was canonized on January 18, 1174 by Pope Alexander III. He was declared a Doctor of the Church in 1830 by Pope Pius VIII, receiving the title Doctor Mellifluus.
Feast day
August 20
Veneration
Saint Bernard of Clairvaux is venerated in the Roman Catholic Church with a feast day on August 20 as a Memorial. He is the patron of the Cistercian Order, beekeepers, and Gibraltar. He is also commemorated in the Anglican Communion.
Prayers
Authored
There are prayers authored by this saint in prayers list yet.
Intercessory
There are no prayers asking for this saint's intercession in prayers list yet.
Books
Written about the saint
- Adriaan H. Bredero, Bernard of Clairvaux: Between Cult and History — definitive modern scholarly biography.
- Étienne Gilson, The Mystical Theology of Saint Bernard — classic study of his spiritual thought.
Written by the saint
- Sermones super Cantica Canticorum (On the Song of Songs) — 86 sermons; the summit of his mystical writing.
- De diligendo Deo (On Loving God)
- De consideratione (On Consideration) — addressed to Pope Eugenius III.
- De gratia et libero arbitrio (On Grace and Free Will)