Bernard

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Bernard appears in the Paradiso, where he identifies himself, speaking in the third person, as Dante's faithful follower, saying: «però ch'i' sono il suo fedel Bernardo» ("for I am his faithful Bernard"). The character is identified by critical notes with Bernard of Clairvaux, a Cistercian monk, founder of the abbey of the same name in Burgundy, a mystic and theologian, a prominent figure of twelfth-century Christianity. Dante chooses him as the final guide for the direct vision of God, because of his contemplative spirituality and his devotion to the Virgin Mary, aspects recalled by the verses immediately following his presentation. The notes also recall his principal works, including the Sermones in Cantica and the De Consideratione, and point out his connection with the Christian mystical tradition, of which he is considered the greatest representative in the following centuries.