Bernard of Claraval, born in 1090 in France, belonged to a high nobleness
family. An essential trait of the physiognomy of Saint Bernard is the cult
to the Holy Virgin, that derived in a number of legends which made it more
popular. Among those legends we can highlight that one referring to a Black
Virgin that was in the church of Saint-Vorles, where Bernard was instructed.
The legend says that, being him praying in front of such Virgin, Mary pressed
her breast and three drops of milk jumped to Bernard’s lips.
It is an alchemic allegory… which can mean that Bernard, fed by the
milk of the Black Virgin (Isis), had drunk in the deep fountains of the
Hermetic tradition.
He was an initiated of clear ideas, reformer of many dogmas of the church
as well as of the interpretation of the virgin, Our Lady, as wife of the
Verb and not as wife of a carpenter.
In year 1115 he departed to found the abbacy of Claraval, taking immediately
the direction of occident. He rudely reprimands to kings and popes, bishops
and important vassals, and every body obeyed to this monk of hesitant,
humble and terrible holiness.
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