12 January 1167 A.D. Aelred Dies—Changing
History by Choosing a Church
History is full of surprising connections. One of
them ties this day's notable Christian figure to the future of the throne of
Scotland. Aelred was born in 1109, the son of a priest with court connections.
(In those days, many English priests married.) Aelred spent time at the court
of King David I of Scotland where he was liked so well that he was appointed
Steward of Scotland--an influential position.
But Aelred hankered for the
religious life. King David would have awarded the gifted young man a bishop's
see, but Aelred refused. Instead, he chose to become a Cistercian monk.
However, his abilities made him master even there. In 1146, he was elected
abbot of Rievaulx. This made him superior of a community of at least 150
monks--and head of all the Cistercian abbots in England.
He must have been a man of
strong determination, for, despite illness, he traveled often: hearing cases
and attending conferences. On top of this, he wrote extensively. When his old
friend, King David I of Scotland, died, he penned an account of his life.
Aelred also wrote the life of another king, Edward the Confessor, an act
prompted by the translation of Edward's remains to the rebuilt Westminster
Chapel.
Aelred wrote popular devotional
and ascetic works. These are often compared with the writings of Bernard of
Clairvaux. He also reworked Cicero's essay "On Friendship," extending
the Roman's teachings with concepts of Christian brotherly love. And, of
course, he preached. Many of his sermons still exist. Evidently, his words had
the power to stir souls. When Aelred undertook a missionary trip to Galloway,
its Pictish King was so moved by the preacher's words that he became a monk!
When Aelred resigned the
stewardship of Scotland, history was changed. David awarded the vacant position
to Walter FitzAlan, who assumed the title "First High Steward." His
son Alan, succeeded him as steward. The job remained in their family and the
later stewards of Scotland sometimes performed notable service for the crown.
Six generations later, through intermarriage with the family of Robert the
Bruce, one of the steward's sons, Robert, became King Robert II of Scotland,
the first of the Steward (Stuart) line.
Aelred could foresee none of
this, of course, when he obeyed his conscience and turned to the church. On this day, January 12,
1167, Aelred died. January 12 became his feast day.
Bibliography:
"Ailred, St." Oxford Dictionary of the
Christian Church. Edited by F. L. Cross and E. A. Livingstone.
Oxford, 1997.
Baring-Gould, S. Lives of the Saints. Edinburgh: John
Grant, 1914. Souce of the image.
Keifer, James. "Aelred of Rievaulx,
Abbot." (http://justus.anglican.org/resources/bio/30.html)
McGuire, Brian Patrick. Brother and lover : Aelred of
Rievaulx. New York : Crossroad, 1994.
Squire, Aelred. Aelred of Rievaulx: a study. London:
S.P.C.K., 1969.
Thurston, Herbert. "St. Aelred." The Catholic
Encyclopedia. New York: Robert Appleton, 1914.
Walter, Daniel, fl. 1170. The life of
Ailred of Rievaulx. Translated from the Latin with introduction and
notes by F. M. Powicke. New York: Oxford University Press, 1951.
Various encyclopedia and internet articles.
Last updated May,
2007.
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