Feast of St. Bernard of Clairvaux
St. Bernard was born near Dijon in 1090 and died in Clairvaux on August 20, 1153. He had the soul of a reformer and assisted Stephen Harding in his endeavors, founding the order of Citeaux that would spread throughout all of Europe.
160 monasteries had been founded by the time he died.
Father to many monks, he devoted his zeal to all of Christendom, fighting against the schism of Anacletus and the heresies of Abelard, Gilbert de la Porrée and the Cathars, advising the pope and passionately preaching the second Crusade. He convinced Louis VII, king of France and Conrad III, king of Germany to join the Crusade.
St. Bernard’s body was buried in the convent chapel of Clairvaux. He was canonized by Pope Alexander III in 1174 and declared a doctor of the Church by Pius VIII in 1830.
Source: FSSPX.News – 8/20/2018
