Saint
Aelred of Rievaulx
Born: 1110, Hexham, UK
Died: 1167, North Yorkshire, UK
Feast Day: 3rd February
Patron Saint: Gall Stone Suffers
Shrine: Rievaulx Abbey, UK
Also
known as: Etherlred, Ailred, Aethelred
Writings:
Sermons, Prayers, Letters,
books ‘Spiritual Friendship’ and ‘The Mirror of Charity’
Aelred was born in 1110. His
father & grandfather were both Priests of St Andrews Church, Hexham. At the age of 14 Aelred served King David I
in Scotland and became Edinburgh Castle’s Head Steward 10 years later.
He became aware of 11 men, under the leadership of Abbot William, setting
up the first Cistercian monastery in England - Rievaulx Abbey in North
Yorkshire, in 1132. They received Aelred
in 1134. Aelred was a talented diplomat, theologian, preacher, and author. He became Abbot of Rievaulx around 1147 and
remained there until his death in 1167.
During this period, he helped Rievaulx thrive, becoming a religious, cultural,
and economic success. The numbers grew
from the original 11 to 640 including recruits from all around Europe. Aelred was known to be a loving and
compassionate father. One of his Monks,
Walter Daniel, wrote a book about Aelred.
He was held in such high esteem by his monks, that they referred to him
as “our Aelred” says Walter.
Aelred oversaw the construction of much of the Abbey. The Cloister was in the heart of the Monastery
and in Aelred’s own words “The
day before yesterday, as I was walking the round of the cloister of the
monastery, the brethren were sitting around forming as it were a most loving
crown … I found no-one whom I did not love, and no-one by whom, I felt sure, I
was not loved. I felt such joy that it surpassed all the delights of the world.”
Aelred was a prolific writer, his most famous book ‘On Spiritual
Friendship’ portrays an ideal of friendship “No medicine is more valuable, none more efficacious, none
better suited to the cure of all our temporal ills than a friend to whom we may
turn for consolation in time of trouble, and with whom we may share our
happiness in time of joy.”
Aelred’s final years were ruined by serious illness including arthritis,
shingles, kidney stones, gout, and lung disease. Despite his health, Aelred
continued to be a loving father to his monks.
References: Saints, HarperCollins Publishers,
2001
https://www.newadvent.org/cathen/01172b.htm
https://www.britannica.com/biography/Saint-Aelred-of-Rievaulx
https://www.catholicireland.net/saintoftheday/st-aelred-of-rievaulx/
https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/visit/places/rievaulx-abbey/history-and-stories/aelred-of-rievaulx/
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