Saint Robert of Molesme – Saint Of The Day – 17 April
Saint Robert of Molesme. French abbot and one of the founders of the Cistercian Order/ White Monks. A “doctor of purity” of the monastic life.
Saint Robert of Molesme (1028–1111), a son of a noble French family from Champagne, entered the Benedectine abbey in the north-central France at the age of 15 and later became the prior of that abbey.
At the age of 42 he was made the abbot of Saint Michel-de-Tonnerre. There he realized that monks are extremely vague and disobedient. Noting the impossibility of faithfully observing the monastery rules among the disobedient monks, he left the abbey. After a period of prayers and conversations with other monks who shared his spirituality, Robert spoke with one of the Papal legates and obtained permission to found a new order. In 1098, together with 21 other monks he hounded the Abbey of Citeaux – the first abbey of the new Cistercian Order, which was named after place where the abbey was located – Cistercium.
The Cestercian Order branched off from the Benedectine Order. The Cistercians are also known as Bernardines (after Saint Bernard, one of the founders), or as White Monks, in reference to the colour of the “cuculla” or cowl (choir robe) worn by the Cistercians over their habits, as opposed to the black cowl worn by Benedictines.
Robert died in 1111 and was canonized in 1222.
In visual arts St Robert of Molesme is often depicted wearing the Cistercian habit and holding in his hands maquettes of the two monasteries founded, or the symbol of purity – the lily flower.
