Stephen Harding

Stephen Harding (d. March 28, 1134), is a Christian saint and monastic abbot, one of the founders of the Cistercian Order.

Related Topics:
March 28 - 1134 - Christian - Saint - Abbot - Cistercian

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

While Stephen Harding was born in Dorset, and though his name is Anglo-Saxon, he was a speaker of French, as well as Latin. He was educated at the abbey of Sherborne and became a scholar. He later moved to the abbey of Molesme in Burgundy, under the abbot Saint Robert (c. 1027 - 1111).

Related Topics:
Dorset - Anglo-Saxon - French - Latin - Sherborne - Molesme - Burgundy - Saint Robert - 1027 - 1111

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

When Robert left Molesme to avoid its corruption and laxity, Stephen and Saint Alberic went with him. Unlike Alberic, however, Stephen was not ordered to return, and he remained in solitude with Robert. When twenty-one monks deserted Molesme to join Robert, Stephen Harding, and Alberic, the three leaders formed a new monastery at Citeaux.

Related Topics:
Saint Alberic - Citeaux

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

At Citeaux, Saint Robert was initially abbot. However, Robert returned to Molesme after a year, and Alberic took over, until his death in 1108. Stephen Harding, the youngest of the three men, therefore became the third abbot of Citeaux after Robert and Alberic. As abbot, Stephen Harding guided the new monastery over a period of great growth. Saint Bernard came to visit in 1112 and brought with him his followers. Between 1112 and 1119, a dozen new Cistercian houses were founded to contain the monks coming to the new, austere, reformed monastic movement. In 1119, Stephen wrote up the Charta of Charity, which is a defining document in the Cistercian Order and establishes its unifying principles.

Related Topics:
1108 - Saint Bernard - 1112 - 1119 - Charta of Charity

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Stephen ruled the house at Citeaux for twenty-five years. While no single person founded the Cistercian Order, most of the credit for the shape of Cistercian belief and its rapid growth in the 12th century goes to Stephen Harding. In 1133, he resigned the head of the order, due to his age and increasing blindness. He died the following year.

Related Topics:
12th century - 1133

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

His feast day is April 17.

Related Topics:
Feast day - April 17

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~