St Berthold was a French crusader who instituted a hermit colony on Mount Carmel in 1185. At the time, many hermits from the West were scattered throughout Palestine, and Berthold gathered them together, founded a community on Mount Carmel, and became their first superior.
What is known for certain is that St Berthold directed the building of a monastery and church on Mount Carmel and dedicated the church in honour of the prophet Elias, who had defeated the priests of Baal there and seen the vision of the cloud out over the sea.
St Berthold lived out his days on Mount Carmel, ruling the community he had founded for forty-five years until his death. His example and way of life stamped the beginnings of the Carmelite Order.
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