Blessed Alan the Great of Lille was born in Lille, Flanders
(now France), around 1120.
He was a philosopher and theologian who wrote a number of
books as well as poetry. His books addressed philosophy, nature, sin, and
preaching. He wrote against sexual sins and heresies. He taught in Paris and
Montpellier. He was well known for his intelligence and called Doctor Universalis.
He attended the Third Lateran Council in 1179. His writings
on sin and penance are said to have influenced members of the Fourth Lateran Council
thirty years later. Though an academic, he followed an eclectic scholasticism
that included both rationalism and mysticism.
He joined the Cistercian order and lived the rest of his life
as a monk in Citeaux, where he died of natural causes in 1202. His feast day is
July 6 or July 16, depending on the calendar.
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