Saint Robert of Molesmes
Saint Robert of Molesmes (born c. 1028 AD in Champagne, France; died March 17, 1111 AD in Molesmes, Burgundy, France) was a French Benedictine abbot who founded the Abbey of Cîteaux in 1098, giving birth to the Cistercian Order. Together with his companions Saint Alberic and Saint Stephen Harding, he sought a stricter, more literal observance of the Rule of Saint Benedict. Though he was recalled to Molesmes by papal order after a year, his founding vision at Cîteaux was the seed of one of the most influential monastic reforms in Church history. His feast day is April 17.
Stored in Cargo: Saint Robert of Molesmes
| Saint Robert of Molesmes | |
|---|---|
| Feast Day | April 17 |
| Profession | Benedictine monk; abbot; monastic founder; one of the Three Founders of Cîteaux; founding abbot of the Cistercian Order |
| Rel. Affiliation | Catholic Church; Benedictine Order; Cistercian Order (founder); Abbey of Molesmes; Abbey of Cîteaux; 11th–12th-century monastic reform |
| Patronage | Cistercian Order; Trappists; monastics; those seeking stricter religious observance; Burgundy; founders of religious communities |
| Attributes | Cistercian white habit; abbot's staff; founding a monastery (architectural model); the Rule of Saint Benedict; the marshland of Cîteaux; two companion founders (Alberic and Stephen Harding) |
| Birthplace | Champagne, France |
| Death Place | Molesmes, Burgundy, France |
| Cause of Death | Natural death; died March 17, 1111, at the Abbey of Molesmes, to which he had been recalled by papal order in 1099; he died there as abbot and was buried in the abbey church; he was approximately 83 years old; his death left the newly founded Cîteaux under the leadership of Alberic, then Stephen Harding, who developed the Cistercian constitutions |
| Primary Shrine | Abbey of Molesmes — his burial place; local Burgundian pilgrimage; relics preserved there until the Revolution; the Cistercian motherhouse at Cîteaux also honors him |
| Liturgical Class | Optional Memorial (Roman Rite); April 17; Feast in Cistercian calendar |
| Historic Class | Not in universal 1962 calendar; observed in Cistercian houses |
Biography
Robert was born c. 1028 in Champagne, France, of noble family. He became a Benedictine monk and was appointed abbot of Saint-Michel de Tonnerre while still young. Dissatisfied with lax observance, he gathered a group of hermits near Collan c. 1075 and founded the Abbey of Molesmes.
Molesmes grew and attracted wealth. Its observance relaxed. Robert led a reform-minded group that left in 1098 to found a "New Monastery" in the wilderness of Cîteaux, with the intention of observing the Rule of Saint Benedict with absolute fidelity. His companions included Alberic and Stephen Harding.
After one year, the monks of Molesmes petitioned Rome to have him returned. Pope Urban II ordered his recall. Robert obeyed. He returned to Molesmes in 1099 and lived there as abbot until his death on March 17, 1111.
The community he left at Cîteaux, under Alberic and then Stephen Harding, developed the Cistercian constitutions. Saint Bernard of Clairvaux entered Cîteaux in 1112 — one year after Robert's death — and made the Cistercians the dominant monastic reform of the 12th century.
Pope Honorius III confirmed his cult in 1222.
Significant locations
Legend
Birth location: Champagne, France
Death location: Molesmes, Burgundy, France
Notable location:
Notable location:
Notable location:
Notable location:
Notable location:
Dynamic content
Parishes
No parishes dedicated to Robert of Molesmes have been added to the database yet.
Media
No media found for this saint.
Shrines
Dynamic shrines
No results
No shrines where this saint is the primary saint.
Known shrines
- Abbey of Molesmes — his burial place and relics (until the Revolution).
- Abbey of Cîteaux (near Dijon) — motherhouse of the Cistercian Order he co-founded.
Feast day
April 17
Veneration
Saint Robert of Molesmes co-founded the Abbey of Cîteaux in 1098, the origin of the Cistercian Order. Though recalled to Molesmes within a year by papal order, his founding vision gave rise to one of the most influential monastic reforms in history. His feast is April 17.
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.