The New Monastery - St. Aelred of Rievaulx

St. Aelred was born in Hexham, England in 1110. His father and grandfather were married priests. He became master of the household in the court of King David of Scotland, and was beloved for his piety, gentleness, and spirituality. Desiring a more austere life than he could lead at the court, Aelred left Scotland when 24 and became a monk of the newly founded Cistercian monastery at Rievaulx, Yorkshire, England. He was made abbot of a new Cistercian monastery in Revesby, Lincolnshire, in 1143, but four years later returned to Rievaulx as abbot, where he presided over 300 monks. Famed for his preaching and asceticism, he traveled widely in England and Scotland and was considered a saint in his own lifetime. His monastery at Rievaulx grew to about 600 monks during his abbacy.

St. Aelred spoke of the mutual charity and peace in which they lived at Rievaulx. His humility and love of solitude made him steadfastly refuse the bishoprics which were pressed upon his acceptance. Reading and prayer were his delight. Even in times of spiritual dryness, if he opened the divine books, he found his soul flooded with the light of the Holy Spirit.

It appears clearly from Aelred’s biographers, notably from the life by Walter Daniel, that in spite of all the saint’s stern asceticism there was something singularly gentle and lovable about him in his relations with others. "For seventeen years I lived under his rule", writes Walter, "and during all that time he dismissed no one from the monastery."

Towards the end of his life he suffered greatly. Nevertheless, he is heard of in Scotland in 1159 and again in 1165, and other visits of his can be traced to different parts of England, and on one occasion to Citeaux – motherhouse of the Cistercian Order – itself. By 1166, he could leave the monastery no more, and after a lingering illness he died, on January 12, 1167, in the shed alongside the infirmary which for ten years had been his living and sleeping quarters. During his last days, Aelred maintained his patience and trust in God.

One of Aelred’s most famous works is the book entitled On Spiritual Friendship. He also wrote a beautiful book on love and mystical theology called The Mirrior of Charity at the request of St. Bernard. He was canonized in 1191.

St. Aelred of Rievaulx (1110-1167)