MS 130 f. 104: St Stephen
Harding (right) and the Benedictine abbot of St Vaast (left)
present models of their churches to the Virgin. A scribe,
Osbert, is shown at the foot of the image and offers his manuscript.
© Bibliotheque
Municipale, Dijon |
Stephen was educated at the Benedictine abbey
of Sherborne, England, fled to Scotland at some stage after the
Norman Conquest of 1066 and later joined the Benedictines of Molesme.
Stephen was amongst the group of monks at Molesme whose desire for
a stricter observance of monastic life prompted them to leave the
abbey in 1098 and establish a community at . In 1109 Harding was
elected third abbot of Cîteaux
and during his twenty-five year abbacy he initiated administrative
and legislative developments, including the compilation of the Carta
Caritatis, the constitution of the Order. Harding’s concern
for accuracy and uniformity led to his revision of the Bible and
other liturgical works.
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