Hugo was a French Cistercian and Cardinal

Cardinal (Catholicism)

A cardinal is a senior ecclesiastical official, usually an ordained bishop, and ecclesiastical prince of the Catholic Church. They are collectively known as the College of Cardinals, which as a body elects a new pope. The duties of the cardinals include attending the meetings of the College and...

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He was born probably in the diocese of Beauvais and entered the order of Cistercians in Clairvaux

Clairvaux

Clairvaux can mean the following:*Clairvaux, a former commune in France, now part of Ville-sous-la-Ferté. It is the home of**Clairvaux Abbey in France**Clairvaux Prison, France, on the site of the abbey*Saint Bernard of Clairvaux...

. In 1147 he became abbot of Trois-Fontaines. Pope Eugenius III (also a cistercian) created him Cardinal-Bishop of Ostia in the consistory celebrated probably in December 1151. He subscribed the papal bulls between 29 December 1151 and 24 January 1155 and participated in the papal election, 1153

Papal election, 1153

The papal election of 1153 followed the death of Pope Eugenius III and resulted in the election of Pope Anastasius IV.-Election of Anastasius IV:...

 and papal election, 1154

Papal election, 1154

The papal election of 1154 followed the death of Pope Anastasius IV and resulted in the election of Pope Adrian IV, the only Englishman to become pope.-Election of Adrian IV:Pope Anastasius IV died on December 3, 1154, at Rome, at a very advanced age...

. He corresponded with Bernard of Clairvaux

Bernard of Clairvaux

Bernard of Clairvaux, O.Cist was a French abbot and the primary builder of the reforming Cistercian order.After the death of his mother, Bernard sought admission into the Cistercian order. Three years later, he was sent to found a new abbey at an isolated clearing in a glen known as the Val...

. Cistercians venerated him as blessed.