Bernard of Clairvaux

Life and work

Bernard entered the fledgling, strict Cistercian order at Cîteaux in 1112 with a group of relatives and friends he had persuaded to join him, and within three years was sent to found a new monastery at Clairvaux, which he led as abbot for the rest of his life and which grew into one of the most important religious houses in Europe.

Bernard's charisma and reputation for holiness gave him outsized influence in the politics of the church, and he was frequently called upon to mediate papal schisms, condemn perceived heresies (including the teaching of Peter Abelard), and advise kings.

In 1146, at the request of Pope Eugene III, Bernard preached the call to the Second Crusade with tremendous popular effect; its subsequent military failure, however, damaged his reputation and prompted him to write a defense of his actions, distinguishing the rightness of the cause from the outcome of the campaign.

Bernard's theological and devotional writing, especially his sermons on the Song of Songs, cultivated an intensely affective, bridal mysticism centered on personal love for Christ, and helped popularize devotion to the Virgin Mary in the medieval West.

In their own words

"The reason for loving God is God himself."On Loving God

Further reading

• Encyclopedia Britannica: Saint Bernard of Clairvaux