The Life of Blessed Bernard of Tiron life of Blessed Bernard of Tiron

CHAPTER 7 Two Trips to Rome in Defense of the Abbey. The Abbey Was Relinquished. Disciples Were Collected Elsewhere

CHAPTER 7 Two Trips to Rome in Defense of the Abbey. The Abbey Was Relinquished. Disciples Were Collected Elsewhere 55. Meanwhile, for about four years the monks of SaintCyprien had expended much effort and expense trying to free their monastery from the false claim of the Cluniacs and had been unsuccessful. Since their need was urgent, in distress they were forced to go into the desert with letters from the bishop of Poitiers. They located their abbot and asked him to help the persons who were toiling in their monastery. Impelled by compassion and compelled by the order of his bishop, Bernard returned to Saint-Cyprien and spent a few days there. Urged by the bishop and monks, accompanied by a few hermit brothers from the desert, riding on a donkey, wearing his garments ofpoverty, that is, of hermit life, he set out for Rome with this humble entourage . When he arrived there after much exertion, he went to his lord, Pope Paschal [II], and asked the pontiff why he had deprived him of the office of abbot. The pope received Bernard kindly, because he had heard much of Bernard's holiness from his cardinals, John and Benedict, who had known Bernard previously in Aquitaine and had seen him remain steadfast in the council during the excommunication of the king. Taking Bernard 's hand, the pope led him to the chapel, and in privacy he conversed with Bernard alone for a great part of the day. Then he led Bernard back to the palace and kindly restored the office that he had forbidden Bernard to hold, in a public audience.1 Mter Bernard had received a papal blessing, he returned to Poitiers and held his monastery for several years in peace. 56. The monks were compelled by his instructions to exchange lukewarmness in living (RE 18:25) for rigor in discipline, and a dissolute way of life for stricter observance of the provisions ofthe Rule. Once they perceived that their customary rulebreaking was not allowed and were unwilling to change, they tried to find some means of driving him out of the monastery. Stealthily they stole and hid the greater part of the wheat and wine from his household, so he would not have the wherewithal to feed those paupers, in whose refreshment he took such delight . They hoped that, once he was worn out from procuring provisions, he would return to the solitude of the desert. But no wisdom, no understanding, no counsel can avail against the Lord (Prv 21:30). While they tried to confine him to narrow domestic concerns, they restored his abundance through greater wealth. At that very time a canon, who knew Bernard was an exceedingly compassionate provider for the poor, gave him so much wheat and wine that he believed it would last until the end of the year. Divine Providence restored to him that very year the wheat and wine that the monks had hidden, but first, to their misfortune, it imposed an avenging death penalty on them. Their supporters had no fear of dying themselves and, unable to drive away the holy man by this means, sought another. They informed the Cluniac monks and solemnly promised to lend their assistance in subjecting the monastery of Saint-Cyprien to their laws, for if it were, they had no doubt that Bernard would leave the mon1 . Although this narrator has detailed knowledge of the internal politics of Saint-Cyprien and the Roman curia, his assertion that Paschal II restored Bernard to his abbacy is not supported by the abbey's cartulary and seems improbable, for the pope's powerful chamberlain had ties to Cluny. 62. TWO TRIPS TO ROME astery. Encouraged by the suggestion, the Cluniacs went to the pope a second time and pressed again to have Bernard suspended from the office of abbot unless he would subject the monastery to them. 57. Bernard resumed the work anew, so as not to succumb to the blows of a harsher fortune. He was afraid that he would sin if through sloth and negligence on his part, he allowed the liberty of his monastery of Saint-Cyprien to slip away. He came to Rome a second time and asked the pope to investigate the cases of both parties carefully and hand down a lawful judgment. The pope avoided doing so and ordered Bernard either to subject the monastery to the Cluniacs or never...