28 March -- St Stephen Harding, S.O. Cist.

Today is the feast of St Stephen Harding, one of the group of founders of the Cistercian Order. There's a little biography of him here.

But if you have the time and some spare change, I would recommend a novel that came out a half century or more ago called Flame Out of Dorset by Clifford Stevens. It's an historical novel, of sorts, framed with a bit of fantasy. It's a bit of fun but it gives a unique - perhaps a little eccentric - view of the Cistercian Order and a real appreciation of St Stephen. (Amazon has a few used copies at the moment. ABEbooks has a couple, also. The $18 one may possibly be worth it if you have a real interest. The $108 one? Eh, no.)