August 20
St. Bernard
Abbot and Doctor of the Church
St. Bernard
Abbot and Doctor of the Church
Born in 1090, at Fontaines, near Dijon, France; died at Clairvaux, 21 August, 1153.
His parents were Tescelin, lord of Fontaines, and Aleth of Montbard, both belonging to the highest nobility of Burgundy. Bernard, the third of a family of seven children, six of whom were sons, was educated with particular care, because, while yet unborn, a devout man had foretold his great destiny. At the age of nine years, Bernard was sent to a much renowned school at Chatillon-sur-Seine, kept by the secular canons of Saint-Vorles. He had a great taste for literature and devoted himself for some time to poetry. His success in his studies won the admiration of his masters, and his growth in virtue was no less marked. Bernard's great desire was to excel in literature in order to take up the study of Sacred Scripture, which later on became, as it were, his own tongue. "Piety was his all," says Bossuet. He had a special devotion to the Blessed Virgin, and there is no one who speaks more sublimely of the Queen of Heaven. Bernard was scarcely nineteen years of age when his mother died. 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.
His parents were Tescelin, lord of Fontaines, and Aleth of Montbard, both belonging to the highest nobility of Burgundy. Bernard, the third of a family of seven children, six of whom were sons, was educated with particular care, because, while yet unborn, a devout man had foretold his great destiny. At the age of nine years, Bernard was sent to a much renowned school at Chatillon-sur-Seine, kept by the secular canons of Saint-Vorles. He had a great taste for literature and devoted himself for some time to poetry. His success in his studies won the admiration of his masters, and his growth in virtue was no less marked. Bernard's great desire was to excel in literature in order to take up the study of Sacred Scripture, which later on became, as it were, his own tongue. "Piety was his all," says Bossuet. He had a special devotion to the Blessed Virgin, and there is no one who speaks more sublimely of the Queen of Heaven. Bernard was scarcely nineteen years of age when his mother died. 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.
In the year
1119, Bernard was present at the first general chapter of the order
convoked by Stephen of Cîteaux. Though not yet thirty 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. In 1120 Bernard composed his
first work "De Gradibus Superbiae et Humilitatis" and his homilies which
he entitles "De Laudibus Mariae". The monks of Cluny had not seen, with
satisfaction, those of Cîteaux take the first place among the religious
orders for regularity and fervour. For this reason there was a
temptation on the part of the "Black Monks" to make it appear that the
rules of the new order were impracticable. At the solicitation of
William of St. Thierry, Bernard defended himself by publishing his
"Apology" which is divided into two parts. In the first part he proves
himself innocent of the invectives against Cluny, which had been
attributed to him, and in the second he gives his reasons for his attack
upon averred abuses. He protests his profound esteem for the
Benedictines of Cluny whom he declares he loves equally as well as the
other religious orders. Peter the Venerable, Abbot of Cluny, answered
the Abbot of Clairvaux without wounding charity in the least, and
assured him of his great admiration and sincere friendship. In the
meantime Cluny established a reform, and Suger himself, the minister of
Louis le Gros, and Abbot of St. Denis, was converted by the apology of
Bernard. He hastened to terminate his worldly life and restore
discipline in his monastery. The zeal of Bernard did not stop here; it
extended to the bishops, the clergy, and the faithful, and remarkable
conversions of persons engaged in worldly pursuits were among the fruits
of his labours. Bernard's letter to the Archbishop of Sens is a real
treatise "De Officiis Episcoporum". About the same time he wrote his
work on "Grace and Free Will".
Alarming news
came at this time from the East. Edessa had fallen into the hands of the
Turks, and Jerusalem and Antioch were threatened with similar disaster.
Deputations of the bishops of Armenia solicited aid from the pope, and
the King of France also sent ambassadors. The pope commissioned Bernard
to preach a new Crusade and granted the same indulgences for it which
Urban II had accorded to the first. A parliament was convoked at Vézelay
in Burgundy in 1146, and Bernard preached before the assembly. The
King, Louis le Jeune, Queen Eleanor, and the princes and lords present
prostrated themselves at the feet of the Abbot of Clairvaux to receive
the cross. The saint was obliged to use portions of his habit to make
crosses to satisfy the zeal and ardour of the multitude who wished to
take part in the Crusade. Bernard passed into Germany, and the miracles
which multiplied almost at his every step undoubtedly contributed to the
success of his mission. 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. It
was on the occasion of this visit, 1147, that a council was held at
Paris, at which the errors of Gilbert de la Porée, Bishop of Poitiers,
were examined. He advanced among other absurdities that the essence and
the attributes of God are not God, that the properties of the Persons of
the Trinity are not the persons themselves in fine that the Divine
Nature did not become incarnate. The discussion was warm on both sides.
The decision was left for the council which was held at Reims the
following year (1148), and in which Eon de l'Etoile was one of the
judges. Bernard was chosen by the council to draw up a profession of
faith directly opposed to that of Gilbert, who concluding by stating to
the Fathers: "If you believe and assert differently than I have done I
am willing to believe and speak as you do". The consequence of this
declaration was that the pope condemned the assertions of Gilbert
without denouncing him personally. After the council the pope paid a
visit to Clairvaux, where he held a general chapter of the order and was
able to realize the prosperity of which Bernard was the soul.
Bernard died
in the sixty-third year of his age, after forty years spent in the
cloister. He founded one hundred and sixty-three monasteries in
different parts of Europe; at his death they numbered three hundred and
forty-three. He was the first Cistercian monk placed on the calendar of
saints and was canonized by Alexander III, 18 January 1174. Pope Pius
VIII bestowed on him the title of Doctor of the Church. The Cistercians
honour him as only the founders of orders are honoured, because of the
wonderful and widespread activity which he gave to the Order of Cîteaux.
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