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Saint Bernard of Clairvaux, 800th Anniversary of Death Scott 171-172 (1953) August 20 marks the feast day of Saint Bernard of Clairvaux, one of the Doctors of the Church. The two stamps shown above, issued on November 10, 1953, commemorate the 800th anniversary of his death. The following description of the stamp issue was presented by VPS Father Aloysius Horn in the "Age of Mary" magazine in March of 1956, and was reproduced in Vatican Notes that same year: "The set consists of two values, a 20 L in olive green and dark violet brown and a 60 L in bright blue and olive green. The process was by photogravure. The design by Edmondo Pizzi was adapted from a painting entitled "The Virgin Appears to Saint Bernard", painted by Filippino Lippi (1459-1504), which is found in the church of La Badia, originally a Benedictine convent in Florence, Italy."As a note, these are the first stamps issued by Vatican City to picture the Virgin Mary. Here is a photo of the painting by Lippi, created around 1485, dubbed by Father Horn as "the most beautiful work ever to come from the brush of this master":  "Apparition of The Virgin to St. Bernard" by Filippino Lippi From Wikimedia Commons, in the Public Domain Born around 1090, historian David Farmer writes that he was known "as a young man of charm, wit, learning, and eloquence". At age 22, he and 31 companions became monks at the monastery of Citeaux, near Dijon. Within a few years, Bernard was chosen abbot. He lifted some of the severe aspects of life (e.g., barley bread and boiled beech leaves diet, and hard labor scratching out a living in an inhospitable area). Many similar foundations were established and by Bernard’s death in 1153 there were around 700 monks at Clairvaux. It is from Clairvaux that monastic reform spread, influencing the Church and monastic communities throughout Europe. The ’Cluniac Movement’ had a powerful influence at the highest levels of the Church, during the Papal Reform Movement of the 11th and 12th centuries. It aimed to create a Church separate from society, governed by canon law, and united under the Successor of St. Peter. It led to regulations on papal elections and the role of investiture of clerical insignia, religious and secular property, often a matter of dispute with kings and princes, especially some Holy Roman Emperors. In addition to monastic reform, Bernard became involved in wider church affairs. He is described by David Farmer as "one of the most charismatic and influential personalities in the cause of reform".  "Saint Bernard Preaching the Second Crusade in Vézelay in 1146" Painting by Émile Signol (1804–1892) From Wikimedia Commons, in the Public Domain He obtained recognition of the Knights Templars and encouraged their activities both in crusading endeavors and also in the care of the sick and pilgrims to the Holy Land. He intervened in many disputes, often vigorously criticizing opinions advanced by contemporaries. Bernard undertook intense preaching on behalf of the Second Crusade (as depicted in the painting above by Emile Signol), which led to the enthusiastic recruitment of many for the crusade. However, it ended in disaster when the crusading armies reached Jerusalem and participated in an ill-advised attack on Damascus in 1148. The Second Crusade was a failure for the Crusaders and a great victory for the Muslims. An important figure in medieval spirituality, St. Bernard’s writings made a powerful impact, such as his treatise on the Love of God, and his intense devotion to the human nature of Christ and to the Blessed Virgin Mary. He was given the title, Doctor Mellifluss, or 'The Honey-Sweet Teacher', because of his preaching skills. Saint Bernard's shrine is at Troyes, France (in Champagne). He was named a Doctor of the Church in 1830. REFERENCES: |
