17 April - St Stephen Harding - Independent Catho
17 April - St Stephen Harding - Independent Catho: Abbot. St Stephen was probably born in Dorset, during the last part of the 11th century. He studied at Sherbourne Abbey and then travelled abroad, becoming a monk at Molesme in Burgundy. In 1098 he went to Citeaux, with a group of other monks. In 1106 he became the third abbot there. St Stephen was an important reformer of the Cistercian order. His early years at Citeaux were difficult, but when St Bernard and his followers joined the community in 1112, good order was established and he went on to set up many more Cistercian houses.
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