St. Stephen Harding

The Saint of the Day for April 17 is St. Stephen Harding.

St. Stephen Harding is regarded as the founder of the Cistercian monasteries. He was born in Dorset, England, and educated at Sherborne Abbey.

After studying in Paris and Rome, he visited the monastery of Molesmes. Impressed by its leaders, Robert of Molesmes and Alberic (who were later canonized), Stephen joined the community.

After a few years, the three men, along with another 20 monks, established a more austere monastery in Citeaux. Eventually, Robert was recalled to Molesme (1099), Alberic died (1110), and Stephen was elected abbot.

Stephen drew up the famous "Charter of Charity", which became the basis for Cistercian monasticism. However, very few men were joining the community, and it seemed destined to die out until the man who was to achieve great renown as St. Bernard de Clairvaux joined the community in 1112 with 30 companions. The next year Stephen founded his first colony at La Ferté. Before his death in 1134, he had established 13 monasteries. By the end of the 12th century there were 500 in Europe.