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E 326K // Literature of the Middle Ages in Translation: Mysteries of the Grail

Cistercians

Cistercians are members of the Cistercian Order, which is a religious order of monks and nuns. They were sometimes called Bernardines after St. Bernard of Clairvaux or White Monks, which referenced the white choir robe worn over their habits.

The term Cistercian (French Cistercien), derives from Cistercium, the Latin name for the village of Cîteaux, near Dijon in eastern France. The keynote of Cistercian life was a return to literal observance of the Rule of St Benedict. The original emphasis of Cistercian life was on manual labour and self-sufficiency, and many abbeys have traditionally supported themselves through activities such as agriculture and brewing ales. Over the centuries, however, education and academic pursuits came to dominate the life of their monasteries. Founded in 1098 in Burgendey with about 20 supporters. Bernard of Clairvaux entered the monastery in the early 1110s with 30 companions and helped the rapid proliferation of the order. By the end of the 12th century, the order had spread throughout France and into England, Wales, Scotland, Ireland, Spain, Portugal, Italy, and Eastern Europe.

St. Bernard of Clairvaux was a French abbot and the primary reformer for the Cistercian order. After the death of his mother, Bernard sought admission into the Cistercian order. "Three years later, he was sent to found a new abbey at an isolated clearing in a glen known as the Val d'Absinthe. According to tradition, Bernard founded the monastery on 25 June 1115, naming it Claire Vallée, which evolved into Clairvaux. Following the Christian defeat at the Siege of Edessa, the pope commissioned Bernard to preach the Second Crusade. The last years of Bernard's life were saddened by the failure of the crusaders, the entire responsibility for which was thrown upon him. Bernard died at age 63. He was the first Cistercian placed on the calendar of saints, and was canonized by Pope Alexander III on 18 January 1174. In 1830 Pope Pius VIII bestowed upon Bernard the title "Doctor of the Church". He’s the patron saint of Cistercians, Burgundy, beekeepers, candle makers, Cambridge, Queens’ College, Speyer Cathedral, and the Knights Templar.