Feast of St. Bernard of Clairvaux

 

St. Bernard, Doctor of the Church. He is shown here raising troops for the Second Crusade - a crusade that ended in disaster and for which he got blamed.

Best known for reforming the Cistercian Order, and was also instrumental in recognizing and promoting the Knights Templar.


"[A Templar Knight] is truly a fearless knight, and secure on every side, for his soul is protected by the armor of faith, just as his body is protected by the armor of steel. He is thus doubly-armed, and need fear neither demons nor men."
Bernard de Clairvaux, c. 1135, De Laude Novae Militae—In Praise of the New Knighthood[12]