Nivard of Clairvaux

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Saint Nivard of Clairvaux (* around 1100 at Fontaine-lès-Dijon Castle near Dijon ; † 12th century Clairvaux near Troyes ) was a Cistercian monk. He was a biological brother of St. Bernhard of Clairvaux .

Of the seven children raised by Tescelin le Roux and his wife Aleth , Nivard was the youngest. When Bernhard entered the Cîteaux monastery around 1112 with all the other brothers except Nivard , they left the little one with his father because he was still a minor. Nivard later followed his brothers and became a monk in Clairvaux.

Nivard was involved in the founding of a surprising number of monasteries. In 1132 Bernhard sent his youngest brother to Vauxcelles near Cambrai, where Nivard served as the novice master at the foundation; this monastery became one of the most important Cistercians in northern France. In 1135 Bernhard entrusted him with even greater responsibility, namely the (re) establishment of Buzay near Nantes. Nivard was prior there, but the foundation failed due to material hardship. He returned to Clairvaux, but took part in the founding of Val-Richer . After that he is said to have even come to Spain, to the Abbey of San Pedro de Espina .

No information is available about Nivard's death. He probably died in the second half of the 12th century, and since he was a monk of Clairvaux, probably there. The Catholic Church venerates him as a blessed, the order often gives the name as a monastery name. His feast day is February 7th.

In the fine arts he is usually depicted in childhood, at the side of St. Bernhard. Since he only became a monk later, he often appears in paintings in (still) secular clothing. Among the brothers and sisters of St. Bernhard developed the strongest admiration in relation to Nivard, Humbeline , and Gerhard . Nivard is particularly popular because of the amiability of the farewell scene with young Nivard in Vita Prima .

literature

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Thomas Merton : In The Valley of Wormwood: Cistercian Blessed and Saints of the Golden Age. Patrick Hart, ed. (Collegeville 2013), pp. 73-74.
personal data
SURNAME Nivard of Clairvaux
BRIEF DESCRIPTION Cistercian monk, brother of St. Bernard of Clairvaux
DATE OF BIRTH around 1100
PLACE OF BIRTH at Dijon
DATE OF DEATH 12th Century
Place of death at Troyes