First Life of Bernard of Clairvaux

The First Life of Bernard of Clairvaux, traditionally knownas the Vita Prima, originated to prepare the case for canonization ofBernard, first abbot of Clairvaux. The work was begun by William ofSaint-Thierry, continued by Arnold of Bonneval, and completed byGeoffrey of Auxerre.When the initial case put forth for Bernard was rejected byInnocent II, Geoffrey undertook a revision of the original vita(Recension A) and submitted another version (Recension B) toPope Alexander III, who declared Bernard a saint in 1174. This workemphasizes the deep love in which Bernard was held during his lifeby his monks and the people of France and Italy as well as his roleas a powerful public figure.This book contains the first English translation of Recension B,drawn from what is apparently the only manuscript of the work foundtoday in a Cistercian monastery, Mount Saint Bernard Abbey. Theintroduction begins with the story of how this manuscript came toMount Saint Bernard, so fixing this translation of the Vita Primawithin Cistercian life from the twelfth century to today.