Robert de Molesme

Saint Robert de Molesme (v. 1029 - 1111) is a Moine and reformer French, founder of the order cistercian.

First steps in the monastic life

Born towards 1029, he was the junior by a noble rich person family of Champagne, he began his noviciate at 15 years with the Abbaye Bénédictin E of Saint-Pierre-the-That close to Troyes, of which he became then Prieur. In 1069, it became Abbé of Saint-Michel-of-Thunder, in the diocese of Langres (Burgundy). In 1071, tired intrigues of the monks and noting impossibility of introducing reforms, it leaves its load and withdraws with Montier-the-That, in its first abbey, and becomes prior of Saint-Ayioul thereafter.

Foundation of Molesme

A little later monks Anachorète S of the forest of Cellan, in the diocese of Langres, request from the Pape Gregoire VII that Robert becomes their abbot. The pope accepts and sends Robert, who finds the place impracticable, and bases a monastery towards 1075, with Molesme, close to Châtillon on the Seine. At the beginning, the establishment is made up only of huts of branches around a vault dedicated to the Holy Trinity. Quickly, the house attracts many donations and grows rich, but it attracts also new monks, restive with so much of austerity. The discipline is slackened. When Robert tries to restore it, the monks rebel against him. It dislocates its load, leaving the authority with its prior, Albéric.

Citeaux and the order cistercian

In 1098, indicator which the reform is still not possible in Molesme, Robert obtains archbishop of Lyon, apostolic Légat, the authorization to found a new order. Renaud, Viscount of Beaune, have a valley afflicted in the middle of a deep forest; it gives it to Robert who then founds the Abbaye from Cîteaux with twenty and one companions, parties them also of Molesme, the May 21st 1098; it will be the cradle of the Ordre cistercian.

At the end of one year however, in 1100, the monks of Molesme asked Robert to return while agreeing to subject itself entirely to its interpretation of the Rule of Benoît saint. He accepts and makes a success of finally his reform. He dies there the April 17th 1111.

During this time, the monastery with Cîteaux, under the direction of Albéric and especially of Stephen Harding, becomes the angular stone of the new Order of cistercian, who was to know his greater glory at the 12th century under Bernard de Clairvaux.

The pope Honorius III canonizes Robert de Molesme in 1220. Its festival is celebrated in the Catholic church on April 17th.

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