St. Bernard of Clairvaux

Introduction & Top Questions
Early life and career
Founder and abbot of Clairvaux
Pillar of the church

References & Edit History Quick Facts & Related Topics

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St. Bernard of Clairvaux: Life and influence

Lippi: Apparition of the Virgin to St. Bernard

At a Glance

Saint Bernard de Clairvaux summary

Quizzes

Omar Ali Saifuddin mosque, Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei.

World Religions & Traditions

Related Questions

How did Bernard describe the value of nature for spiritual learning?
How did Bernard of Clairvaux connect love with knowing God?
How did Bernard of Clairvaux contribute to the growth of the Cistercian order across Europe?
How did Bernard of Clairvaux influence medieval Catholic mysticism?
How did Bernard of Clairvaux prevail in his conflict with Peter Abelard?
How did Clairvaux become an important center of the Cistercian order?
How did St. Stephen Harding influence Bernard of Clairvaux?
How did the death of Aleth affect Bernard’s religious path?
How long did it take for Clairvaux Abbey to become self-sufficient?
What advice did Bernard of Clairvaux give Pope Eugenius III about papal leadership?
What did Bernard of Clairvaux mean by saying that love of God should be without measure?
What did Bernard of Clairvaux teach about prayer and contemplation?
What happened to the original buildings of Clairvaux Abbey?
What literary techniques did Bernard of Clairvaux use in his writings?
What role did Bernard of Clairvaux play during the period of papal disunity?
What was the purpose of Bernard of Clairvaux’s Sermons on the Canticle of Canticles?
What were the main disagreements between Bernard of Clairvaux and Peter Abelard?
When and where was St. Bernard of Clairvaux born?
When did Bernard enter the Cîteaux monastery?
When did St. Bernard of Clairvaux die?
When was Bernard of Clairvaux canonized?
When was Bernard of Clairvaux declared a doctor of the church?
When was Clairvaux Abbey founded?
Where did Bernard receive his early literary education?
Where was Clairvaux Abbey located?
Which groups and places recognize St. Bernard of Clairvaux as a patron saint?
Which miracles were attributed to St. Bernard of Clairvaux?
Who founded the Cistercian community at Cîteaux?
Why did Bernard of Clairvaux become the first abbot of Clairvaux?
Why did Bernard of Clairvaux criticize Pope Innocent II and the Roman Curia?
Why did Bernard of Clairvaux distrust dialectic and secular philosophy in matters of faith?
Why did the Second Crusade fail?
Why is Bernard of Clairvaux considered an important Christian mystic?
Why was Bernard of Clairvaux called doctor mellifluus?
What is St. Bernard of Clairvaux known for?
What miracles did St. Bernard of Clairvaux perform?
What are the 4 stages of love according to St. Bernard of Clairvaux?
What is Revelations of Divine Love?
Why is St. Thérèse of Lisieux called “the Little Flower?”
What is the “Little Way” of St. Thérèse of Lisieux?
Who was St. Isidore of Sevilla?
What is St. Isidore of Sevilla’s most notable work?
What is St. Isidore of Sevilla the patron saint of?
Who is St. Catherine of Siena?

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External Websites

Christian History Institute - The Spirituality of St. Bernard of Clairvaux

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Bernard of Clairvaux - Student Encyclopedia (Ages 11 and up)

St. Bernard of Clairvaux

French abbot

Also known as: Bernard of Clairvaux

Written by

John Richard Meyer

Associate Professor of Education, University of Windsor, Ontario.

John Richard Meyer

Fact-checked by

Britannica Editors

Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree....

Britannica Editors

History

St. Bernard of Clairvaux (born 1090, probably Fontaine-les-Dijon, near Dijon, Burgundy [France]—died August 20, 1153, Clairvaux, Champagne; canonized January 18, 1174; feast day August 20) was a Cistercian monk and mystic, founder and abbot of the abbey of Clairvaux (France), and one of the most influential churchmen of his time. In the Roman Catholic Church he is venerated as the patron saint of beekeepers, candlemakers, Cistercians, and Knights Templar and of Burgundy (France), Gibraltar, and...