St. Bernard of Clairvaux, the second founder of the Cistercians, the Mellifluous Doctor,
the apostle of the Crusades, the miracle-worker, the reconciler of
kings, the leader of peoples, the counselor of popes! His sermons, from
which there are many excerpts in the Breviary, are conspicuous for
genuine emotion and spiritual unction. The celebrated Memorare is
ascribed to him.
Bernard was born in 1090, the third son of an illustrious
Burgundian family. He was of a noble family and received a careful
education in his youth. At the age of twenty-two, with his father,
brother and thirty noblemen he entered the Benedictine monastery of Citeaux (where the Cistercian Order had its beginning)
and persuaded thirty other youths of noble rank to follow his example. Made abbot of Clairvaux (1115), he erected numerous abbeys where his spirit
flourished.
The monastic rule which he perfected at Clairvaux became the model for
163 monasteries of the Cistercian reform.
To his disciple, Bernard of Pisa, who later became Pope
Eugene III, he dedicated his work De Consideratione. Bernard's influence upon the princes, the clergy, and the people of his
age was most remarkable. He was a theologian, poet, orator, and writer. By penitential practices he so exhausted his
body that it could hardly sustain his soul, ever eager to praise and
honor God. St. Bernard died during the year of 1153 in Clairvaux,
France. He is sometimes considered as a Father of the Church.
Excerpted from The Church's Year of Grace,
Pius Parsch
Patron: beekeepers; bees; candlemakers; chandlers;
wax-melters; wax refiners; Gibraltar; Queens College, Cambridge.
Symbols: beehive; bees; three mitres on a book; white dog;
inkhorn and pen; Passion implements; fettered demon; book.
Often Portrayed As: Cistercian having a vision of Mary;
Cistercian with a beehive; Cistercian with a chained demon; Cistercian
with a mitre on the ground beside him; Cistercian with a swarm of bees
nearby; Cistercian with a white dog; Cistercian writing and watching
Mary.
Things to Do:
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Though of a rich and noble family St. Bernard continually asked the question: "For what purpose are you on earth?" Spend some time today in front of the Blessed Sacrament and ask yourself this question.
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Because St. Bernard is the patron of candlemakers, a great project would be to learn how to make candles. Candles 101 discusses in brief about making homemade candles, rolled, dipped and molded. Practicing making candles now will help in preparing to make a family Christ Candle for Advent and Paschal Candle for Easter.
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Read more about the life of St. Bernard.
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This site — complete with words and midi files — features hymns written by St. Bernard.
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Learn more about the Cistercian Order founded by St. Bernard.
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From the Catholic Culture library: Preaching Conversion Through The Beatitudes: Bernard Of Clairvaux's Ad Clericos De Conversione and Pope Pius XII On St. Bernard Of Clairvaux, The Last Of The Fathers.
Read more....St Bernard of Clairvaux, Doctor
Pray the........Liturgy of
the Hours
