*Ø* Blogmanac August 20 | Feast day of St Bernard of Clairvaux
St Bernard of Clairvaux (c. 1090-1153)
The Abbot of Clairvaux, nicknamed the ‘mellifluous doctor’ and ‘honeytongued teacher’, was renowned for his wisdom and abilities. He is remembered for helping the Cistercian Order to grow.
Bernard was born at Fontaines-les-Dijon, Burgundy, France, in 1090 or 1091, according to which dubious source you prefer. He had a great leadership ability, and gathered around himself 30 companions, including his brothers in the Cistercian monastery of Citeaux. Mothers hid their sons, and wives their husbands, in case they would follow him.
Urged invasion of Palestine
One of the most significant men of the middle ages, he might be looked upon favourably today by Jews, for he opposed their persecution, but certainly not by Muslims, for he assisted the military efforts by which Christian Europeans invaded and oppressed Muslims in and around Palestine for centuries – the Crusades. (The Crusades are still described, in the opening sentence of the online Catholic Encyclopedia’s entry on the subject, as “expeditions undertaken, in fulfilment of a solemn vow, to deliver the Holy Places from Mohammedan tyranny.”)
He was severe with his appetites; he only ate to save himself from fainting; to escape the worldly talk of visitors, he even filled his ears with flax; he selected for himself the most menial work in the monastery. He said that he learned most of religion from Nature.
On December 24, 1144, the capture of the strong frontier fortress of Edessa by Zengi of Mosul inflicted a serious blow on Christian power in the Middle East, where European imperialists had established in Palestine in 1099 the Kingdom of Jerusalem. In 1145, Pope Eugenius III commissioned him to preach in favour of the Second Crusade. Although he was not young, he preached through France and Germany, raising so many volunteers that in some districts, only one man was left for seven women. He opposed the massacre of European Jews, saying that conversion was far preferable, and in this he was far ahead of his time. He cured the blind, lame, and did many other miracles. Or, so it is said.
“Patronage
beekeepers, bees, candlemakers, chandlers, Gibraltar, Queens College Cambridge, wax-melters, wax refiners
Representation
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; beehive; bees; book; instruments of the Passion; pen; white dog” Source
St Bernard of Clairvaux (c. 1090-1153)
The Abbot of Clairvaux, nicknamed the ‘mellifluous doctor’ and ‘honeytongued teacher’, was renowned for his wisdom and abilities. He is remembered for helping the Cistercian Order to grow.
Bernard was born at Fontaines-les-Dijon, Burgundy, France, in 1090 or 1091, according to which dubious source you prefer. He had a great leadership ability, and gathered around himself 30 companions, including his brothers in the Cistercian monastery of Citeaux. Mothers hid their sons, and wives their husbands, in case they would follow him.
Urged invasion of Palestine
One of the most significant men of the middle ages, he might be looked upon favourably today by Jews, for he opposed their persecution, but certainly not by Muslims, for he assisted the military efforts by which Christian Europeans invaded and oppressed Muslims in and around Palestine for centuries – the Crusades. (The Crusades are still described, in the opening sentence of the online Catholic Encyclopedia’s entry on the subject, as “expeditions undertaken, in fulfilment of a solemn vow, to deliver the Holy Places from Mohammedan tyranny.”)
He was severe with his appetites; he only ate to save himself from fainting; to escape the worldly talk of visitors, he even filled his ears with flax; he selected for himself the most menial work in the monastery. He said that he learned most of religion from Nature.
On December 24, 1144, the capture of the strong frontier fortress of Edessa by Zengi of Mosul inflicted a serious blow on Christian power in the Middle East, where European imperialists had established in Palestine in 1099 the Kingdom of Jerusalem. In 1145, Pope Eugenius III commissioned him to preach in favour of the Second Crusade. Although he was not young, he preached through France and Germany, raising so many volunteers that in some districts, only one man was left for seven women. He opposed the massacre of European Jews, saying that conversion was far preferable, and in this he was far ahead of his time. He cured the blind, lame, and did many other miracles. Or, so it is said.
“Patronage
beekeepers, bees, candlemakers, chandlers, Gibraltar, Queens College Cambridge, wax-melters, wax refiners
Representation
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; beehive; bees; book; instruments of the Passion; pen; white dog” Source
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