Today marks the 862nd anniversary of the death of one of the most important and influential saints in the history of the Church, St. Bernard of Clairvaux (1090–1153). This great saint was the third son of seven children (six boys and one girl) born to a noble family near Dijon in the Burgundy region of France. Bernard was brilliant and handsome, although his severe ascetic practices left him frail and in ill health for most of his adult life. Bernard loved the Church and had a special and intense reverence for the Blessed Mother that had been inculcated by his mother during his childhood. During his lifetime he was known as an exceptional preacher and inspirational speaker.
The “Honey-Sweet” Doctor
