Title: Saint
Alternate names/spellings:
Dates: 1090 - 1153 (Dates are approximate. )
Bernard of Clairvaux was a French abbot and one of the main figures in the reform movement of the Cistercian Order, which sought to return to the austerity of the original Benedictine rule. Bernard is also known for his recruiting efforts in the Second Crusade, and for originating the idea of the Knights Templar, an order of knights who took monastic vows. He was an avid theologian and defender of orthodoxy, and a prolific writer of theology, hagiography, orthodoxy, monasticism, and sermons.
More information:
- "Wikipedia":http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bernard_of_Clairvaux
- "Catholic Encyclopedia":http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/02498d.htm