St. Bernard

The Cistercian Order reached its peak in the 12th century. There arose a deep need for an order that would embody a balance between prayer and work, a harmony serving the welfare of both the body and the soul. The vast expansion and rapid growth of the order's influence are thanks to the activities of St. Bernard.

He arrived at Citeaux in 1112, and by 1115, he became the first abbot of the newly founded monastery, Clairvaux Abbey. By the time of his death in 1153, Clairvaux had 68 daughter houses. St. Bernard, with the support of the popes, especially Pope Eugenius III, wielded great power and influence. He was a man of action, traveling across Europe, fighting heresy, and preaching the Second Crusade. At the same time, he was a reformer, a critic, and a founder of the order, a supporter of the papacy, and a profound thinker and writer. His legacy includes 350 sermons, over 500 letters, and numerous treatises. In addition, he directed the lives of the 700 monks in his abbey.

The creation of the Cistercian Order was a response to dissatisfaction with the conditions in monastic orders, particularly among the Benedictines, and especially the Cluniacs. Tensions and competition were inevitable, as both orders had their mother monasteries in Burgundy. St. Bernard was neither patient nor tactful; he soon launched an open attack on the Black Monks of Cluny. In his apology, he accused Cluny of betraying the ideals of St. Benedict. His criticism was largely justified, but despite their flaws, the more humane and understanding Cluniac monks were arguably more likable than the Cistercians. The Cistercian rules prohibited paintings and statues, bright colors, precious metals, and fine fabrics in their churches. Crucifixes were made of wood, and chalices were made of silver. They avoided elaborate vestments. The aim of all this was to return to the simplicity of monastic life, following St. Benedict's intentions. St. Bernard expected this from all orders and vehemently criticized the artistic decoration of Benedictine monasteries. He did not oppose decoration in non-monastic churches but believed that excessive decoration in monastic churches did not encourage prayer but rather targeted vanity. St. Bernard was willing to tolerate gold reliquaries, painted saints, and chandeliers adorned with gemstones for the sake of the simple and devout congregation. However, in the remote cloisters, where no one else was allowed to enter, the monks were expected to spend their time in prayer and study.

The floor plans and structure of Cistercian churches were simple from the very beginning. A standardized floor plan emerged, so there was considerable similarity between the abbey churches of different countries, with layouts generally following the Burgundy example. A characteristic feature of the floor plan was the straight-ended chancel and a cross-shaped nave with one or more vaulted, square chapels at both ends of the transept. The first churches were built by the monks themselves since the abbeys were far from inhabited areas and they had no funds to hire builders. Later, however, they mainly employed laypeople. Over time, the influence of Burgundy's prescriptions weakened, and when local forms were applied without excessive decoration, no objections were raised. The French Revolution destroyed both Citeaux and Clairvaux.

G. Zarnecki "Kolostorok, szerzetesek, barátok", Corvina kiadó, 1986