Gerard of Clairvaux, Bl.

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GERARD OF CLAIRVAUX, BL.

Second eldest brother of bernard of clairvaux; d. June 13, 1138. He originally refused to follow Bernard into the cistercian order; but after being wounded in battle, taken prisoner, and miraculously freed as his brother had foretold, he took the monastic habit at cÎteaux in 1112. He accompanied Bernard to the foundation of clairvaux (June 11, 1115), almost abandoned the project because of the difficulties encountered, but remained to fill the office of cellarer until his death. Bernard's lament at his loss, now sermon 26 of the Sermones in Cantica, is one of the most moving tributes to be found in medieval Latin literature.

Feast: June 13 (formerly Jan. 30).

Bibliography: Acta Sanctorum June 3:192195. bernard of clairvaux, "Sermo XXVI," Sermones in Cantica, Patrologia Latina 183:903912. j. b. jobin, Saint Bernard et sa famille (Paris 1891). r. lechat, "Les Fragmenta de vita et miraculis s. Bernardi, " Analecta Bollandiana 50 (1932) 83122.

[c. h. talbot]