SAINT OF THE DAY · AUGUST 20

Who was Saint Bernard of Clairvaux?

Saintly Editorial 3 min read
In short

Saint Bernard of Clairvaux: A monk whose love for Christ moved nations. Lived circa 1090 to 1153. Born near Dijon, France. Cistercian monk and abbot. Patron of beekeepers and Cistercians. Doctor of the Church. Saintly remembers this saint on August 20.

  • Lived circa 1090 to 1153
  • Born near Dijon, France
  • Cistercian monk and abbot
  • Patron of beekeepers and Cistercians
  • Doctor of the Church

Who was Saint Bernard of Clairvaux?

Bernard was born at Fontaines, near Dijon, in a noble Burgundian family. He was the third of seven children. His mother, Aleth, taught him deep faith and love for the Virgin Mary. At school in Châtillon, he studied grammar, rhetoric, and Scripture. His learning grew quickly, but sorrow came early.

Bernard was about nineteen when his mother died. Grief changed the direction of his life. He began to seek solitude and prayer. His resolve became so strong that thirty young noblemen followed him toward Cîteaux, a monastery seeking strict Benedictine discipline. Even his brothers joined the journey. One brother remained behind, for a time.

Bernard entered Cîteaux around the age of twenty. Three years later, his abbot sent him with twelve monks to a poor valley in Champagne. They cleared the forest and built their monastery by hand. Bernard called the place Clairvaux, meaning clear valley. The beginning was harsh, and his first leadership lesson was still ahead.

The first monks at Clairvaux ate coarse barley bread and sometimes boiled beech leaves. Bernard imposed severe discipline, and the brothers became discouraged. He recognized his mistake. He entered a long silence and later softened the daily rule. His humility helped the community recover. Soon people began arriving to learn from him.

Bernard preached with a powerful voice, yet he remained a monk who valued quiet work. Clairvaux sent out groups to establish new monasteries. His letters reached popes, bishops, nobles, and ordinary Christians. He also wrote about loving God and explained Scripture through sermons. The abbot of one valley soon became a guide for the wider Church.

In 1141, Bernard faced Peter Abelard at the Council of Sens. Bernard believed Abelard's teachings weakened Christian faith and the Church's confession of the Trinity. He had first warned him privately. The council condemned propositions from Abelard's writings, and the pope confirmed the judgment. The dispute left Bernard carrying a heavy public burden.

Bernard's greatest writings returned again and again to the love of God. He taught that love grows through conversion, obedience, and God's grace. He preached from the Song of Songs and spoke warmly about Mary. His words joined careful theology with personal devotion. Many centuries later, the Church would honor him as one of its Doctors.

In 1146, Bernard preached the Second Crusade at Vézelay. The crowd answered with such force that his cloth was cut into crosses for those who wanted to go. He later preached in Germany, where Emperor Conrad received the cross. The expedition ended in disaster, and Bernard endured sharp criticism for having urged it.

What can we learn from Saint Bernard of Clairvaux today?

  • Read one paragraph from Bernard's teaching on loving God before beginning today's busiest task.
  • Speak one careful sentence of encouragement to someone carrying a burden in the Church.
  • Correct one harsh habit today, as Bernard changed Clairvaux's discipline after recognizing his mistake.

Saint Bernard of Clairvaux joined learning with prayer, authority with humility, and public service with monastic devotion. His life shows how deeply one person can shape the Church through faithful teaching and disciplined love. May his example lead us toward a quieter heart, a clearer faith, and greater love for God.

When is the feast day of Saint Bernard of Clairvaux?

Saintly remembers Saint Bernard of Clairvaux on August 20, when the story above is the saint of the day in the app. Read how the Church declares someone a saint, or how to choose a patron saint.

Sources

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