The Tale of St. Bernard of Clairvaux
The Tale of St. Bernard of Clairvaux
By: a.d. elliott | Take the Back Roads - Art and Other Odd Adventures
It turns out, he wasn’t that kind of doctor.
Bernard of Clairvaux was born around 1090 into a noble family in Fontaine-lès-Dijon. He received an excellent education and showed particular promise in literature and poetry. Just as significant was the profound influence of his mother’s faith. After her death, when Bernard was only nineteen, he felt a decisive call to religious life and sought admission into the Cistercian order.
At the age of twenty-two, while in prayer, Bernard felt summoned specifically to the Abbey of Cîteaux. His conviction was so compelling that he persuaded thirty of his brothers and friends to join him. Three years later, he was appointed abbot of a new monastery founded in a neighboring valley known as Clairvaux—a place that would become inseparable from his name.
Bernard quickly gained a reputation as a spiritual guide, counselor, and skilled arbitrator. He was frequently called upon to mediate disputes and heal divisions within both the Church and the political world. He attended the Council of Troyes, defended the Church’s rights against royal interference, and played a crucial role during a papal schism by supporting Pope Innocent II against the antipope Anacletus. Bernard’s influence extended even to King Henry, whom he convinced to recognize Innocent, helping secure papal legitimacy across Europe.
It was this tireless work as a reconciler and healer of schisms that earned Bernard the title Doctor of the Church.
He was also a fierce defender of orthodoxy. Bernard challenged the theological writings of Peter Abelard, arguing that they misrepresented the doctrine of the Trinity, ultimately persuading Abelard to withdraw them. He likewise opposed sects such as the Petrobrusians and the Henricians, whom he viewed as undermining the unity of the faith.
Beyond theology and politics, Bernard played a formative role in shaping medieval chivalry. He helped establish the Rule of the Knights Templar and acted as their patron, articulating a vision of knighthood rooted in discipline, humility, and devotion rather than glory.
Bernard’s influence reached deeply into culture and spirituality. He was a passionate advocate of Marian devotion and is traditionally credited with the authorship of the Memorare. He wrote extensively on sacred music and sacred space, believing beauty could elevate the soul toward God. In literature, he appears as the final guide through the Empyrean in Dante’s Divine Comedy, leading the poet toward the Beatific Vision.
St. Bernard died on August 20, 1153. He was originally buried at Clairvaux Abbey, though his remains were later transferred to Troyes Cathedral during the upheavals of the French Revolution.
Reading his life, I find myself quietly hoping for something similar, not sainthood, but influence used wisely; words offered in service of peace; and the humility to arbitrate rather than inflame. That, it seems to me, would be a legacy worth leaving.
_____________________________________________________________________________
About the Author
a.d. elliott is a wanderer, photographer, and storyteller traveling through life
She shares her journeys at Take the Back Roads, explores new reads at Rite of Fancy, and highlights U.S. military biographies at Everyday Patriot.
You can also browse her online photography gallery at shop.takethebackroads.com.
✨ #TakeTheBackRoads
Enjoyed this post? Support the adventure by visiting my sponsors, shopping the gallery, or buying me a cup of coffee!
