Saint Bernard Tolomei

Saint Bernard, from one of the leading houses of Sie Sienne Italian city defining the area of activity of the blessed. na, was born in 1272. At his baptism, he received the name John, but he later changed it to Bernard. He was raised by Christopher Ptolemy Christophe Ptolomée Dominican friar and relative of Bernard, responsible for his education. , his relative. He was a Dominican friar of g religieux dominicain Religious order to which Christophe Ptolomée belonged. reat learning and rare piety, who later became a bishop. At the same time that Bernard was making rapid progress in the sciences, he was fervently practicing all the Christian virtues. He distinguished himself among the most edifying members of the congregation of Saint Ausanus, martyr of Siena , and filled Saint-Ausane Martyr of Siena whose congregation welcomed Bernard. the highest positions of his homeland with all possible zeal and integrity. But the danger of vainglory inspired in him the plan to abandon the world entirely. He sold his possessions, the price of which was distributed to the poor, and retired to a desert located ten miles from Siena, which was very difficult to access. There, he practiced incredible austerities and withstood with heroic constancy the violent assaults launched against him by the enemies of the saint. As some people had joined him, the Pope, who was then residing in Avignon, advised him to choose the way of life of so me reli Avignon City of which Saint Rufus was the first bishop and founder of the church. gious Order approved by the Church. He adopted the Rule of Saint Benedict and the white habit. Guy, Bishop of Arezzo , in whose d Saint-Benoît Founder of the Benedictine Order, cited as a chronological reference point. iocese he was, confirmed his choi ce, as Arezzo Diocese where the order was initially confirmed. well as his institutions, in 1319; and his Order became known as the Congregation of the Virgin Mary of Mount Olivet. It was succe ssively approved by Popes John XXII, Clement V Congrégation de la Vierge Marie du Mont-Olivet Monastic order founded by Bernard Tolomei. I, and Gregory XI.