St Bernard of Clairvaux (1090-1153) Cistercian monk and abbot
St
Bernard was a prominent spiritual master and Church leader in Europe in
the first half of the twelfth century and was the power behind the
great expansion of the Cistercians at that time.
Early life
Bernard was born at Fontaines, near
Dijon, the third of a family of seven children of a noble family in
Burgundy, six of whom were boys. At school he had a taste for literature
and poetry. He grew into a charming, learned and eloquent young man.
Joins the Cistercians
At the age of twenty-two he
joined the newly formed Cistercian monastery of Citeaux, then
struggling to restore the Rule of St Benedict in all its rigour. It
is said he did not join the popular Benedictine abbey of Cluny because
"his own nature was so passionate that it needed stronger medicine".
Along with him he brought thirty-one companions, among them five of his
brothers and many relatives. Three years after he joined Bernard himself
was sent with twelve monks to start a new foundation at Clairvaux and
soon became abbot.
Abbot of Clairvaux
Bernard's initial regime at
Clairvaux was so austere that he himself became ill, and only the
influence of his friend William, the bishop 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 putting themselves under his direction.
His father and all his brothers entered Clairvaux so as to pursue
religious life. Even his sister, Humbeline, with the consent of her
husband, took the veil in a Benedictine convent. In the year 1119,
Bernard was present at the first general chapter of the order convoked
by Stephen of Cîteaux. It was this general chapter that approved the
constitutions of the order (The Charter of Charity), which Pope Callixtus II then confirmed.
In competition with Cluny
At first the monks of
the neighbouring abbey of Cluny were unhappy to see Cîteaux take the
lead rôle among the religious orders of the Roman Catholic Church. For
this reason, the Black Monks attempted to make it appear that the rules
of the new order were impracticable. Then Bernard wrote an Apologia or defence of the Cistercian constitutions and soon Cluny began to reform itself under its abbot Peter the Venerable.
Involvement in Church affairs
In the year 1128,
Bernard became involved in Church affairs at the Council of Troyes. It
was at this council that Bernard outlined the Rule of the Knights
Templar, a body of knights who devoted themselves to the care of the
sick and pilgrims to the Holy Land and later went there themselves on
the Crusades.
Mediation in a disputed papal election
In 1130
Bernard mediated in a disputed papal election and supported Pope
Innocent II against a rival antipope Anacletus. He accompanied Innocent
to Italy and later mediated in other Church and State conflicts. It
wasn't long before a former pupil of Bernard's, himself a Cistercian,
was elected pope, Eugenius III, in 1145. Perhaps Bernard overdid this involvement in Church affairs (see, for example, the case of St
William of York 8th June).
Preaching against heresies: contest with Abelard
At
this period a spirit of rationalism was flourishing in the schools of
philosophy and theology. To counteract this, Bernard was recruited to
confront Peter Abelard, whose treatise on the Trinity had been condemned
as heretical. Abelard continued to develop his controversial teachings.
Bernard took a more traditional stance and after he spoke at a council
at Sens (1141), Abelard submitted without resistance, and retired to
Cluny to live under the protection of Peter the Venerable, where he died
two years later.
Cistercian Order expansion
By this time Bernard
was probably the most influential Church person in Europe. He sent monks
from his overcrowded monastery into Germany, Sweden, England, Ireland,
Portugal, Switzerland, and Italy. In all sixty-eight monasteries were
established from Clairvaux.
Friend of St Malachy of Armagh
About the same
time, Malachy, archbishop of Armagh in Ireland visited Clairvaux and
developed a close friendship with Bernard. Malachy wanted to become a
Cistercian, but the Pope would not give his permission. Malachy did
succeeded in getting Bernard to send some Cistercian monks to Ireland
and later died at Clairvaux in 1148.
Second Crusade (1146–49)
In 1146 when news came
that the Christians in the Holy Land were defeated by the Seljuk Turks,
Pope Eugenius III commissioned Bernard to preach the Second Crusade.
Although a great gathering of kings and princes went on the Crusade,
it turned out to be an unmitigated disaster. Probably Bernard was not
left without criticism.
Final years (1149–53)
From the beginning of the
year 1153, Bernard felt a great loss at the passing of his friend Pope
Eugenius. He grew gradually weaker and died at age sixty-three on August
20, 1153. He was forty years a monk.
Writings
Bernard wrote many works on a variety of
topics: the spiritual life, Mariology, the duties of bishops and the
question of grace and free will. The best known work is probably his Sermon on the Song of Songs.
Influence
Bernard was canonised by Pope Alexander III in 1174. Pope Pius VII declared him a Doctor of the Church in 1830.