St. Bernardine of Siena

Today we celebrate the feast day of St. Bernardine of Siena. St. Bernardine was born on September 8, 1380. St. Bernardine was one of the greatest preachers during his time.

During St. Bernardine's life he spent most of his time journeying across Italy. St. Bernardine would spend his travelling time calming strife-torn cities, he would oppose to the paganism that he found rampant, he would also attract crowds containing over 30,000, and most important he followed Saint Francis of Assisi’s admonition to preach about “vice and virtue, punishment and glory.”

St. Bernardine was a person that had a very keen intuition of all the needs during that time, he also was a person that had solid holiness and boundless energy and joy.

While St. Bernardine was serving and helping others he struggled with a very weak voice which made his mission harder, however St. Bernardine never let that slow him down. St. Bernardine’s voice miraculously improved later on during his life because of his devotion to Mary.

When St. Bernardine was 20, a plague that had hit his hometown Siena was at its peak. During that time the plague would kill 20 people in one day at the hospital.

During this time St. Bernardine felt that it was his duty to help and he offered to be in charge of the hospital. St. Bernardine was accompanied by the help of other young men, and they would aid patients there for over four months. When St. Bernardine was able to escape the plague, he was extremely exhausted after all the work he had done, and also a fever confined him for a couple of months.

Later on, St. Bernardine spent about a year caring for his beloved aunt whose parents had died while he was a young boy. After his beloved aunt had died, at her death St. Bernardine began to fast and pray to know what God’s will was for him.

Eventually, St. Bernardine found out what the Lord was calling him to do. When St. Bernardine was 22, he decided to enter the Franciscan Order, he was ordained two years later.

St. Bernardine spent a dozen years of his life in solitude and prayer, however, the amazing gifts that he possessed caused him to be sent to preach. St. Bernardine always traveled by foot, St. Bernardine would speak for many hours straight in the same spot.

St. Bernardine had a very strong and powerful devotion to the Holy Name of Jesus. St. Bernardine created a symbol which looks like; IHS. In the symbol the first three letters (IHS) of the name of Jesus are written in Greek and in Gothic letters and they are placed on a blazing sun.

This symbol was used to displace the many superstitious symbols that were in existence during that time. The devotion ended up spreading quickly, and the symbol started to appear in many churches, homes and many different types of public buildings.

However, as expected opposition started to arise from many people, who believed it was a very dangerous innovation. Three different attempts were made to have the Pope decide to take action against him, however, St. Bernardine’s holiness, orthodoxy, and intelligence were clear evidence of his faithfulness.

St. Bernardine was able to become the General of the Friars of the Strict Observance, which was a branch of the Franciscan Order. When St. Bernardine was present there, he strongly emphasized scholarship and he decided to further the study of theology and of canon law.

When St. Bernardine first started there were only 300 friars present in that community. However, after St. Bernardine had passed away there was a total of 4,000 friars.

However, St. Bernardine missed his old ways and he decided to return to preaching during the last two years of his life. St. Bernardine died on May 20, 1444 and he died while he was traveling.

St. Bernardine is the patron saint of many things including; advertising, gambling, Italy and public Relations. St. Bernardine’s feast day is celebrated on May 20.

Prayer to St. Bernardine:

St. Bernardine help us to serve Christ even through all the illnesses, pain, suffering or trials that we may encounter. St. Bernardine help us to overcome every temptation we may encounter and help us to offer up every temptation, trial or pain we may be confronting for the needs of others. Help us to remember that when we offer up pain, offer up moments of temptation, or serve the poor and vulnerable we are serving Christ. St. Bernardine help us to grow in our love and. Intimacy with Christ and help us to guide more people to him.

We ask this through Christ Our Lord and Mary Our Mother in Heaven

Amen

St. Bernardine pray for us

St. Joseph pray for us

May we continue to strengthen our journey to sainthood and keep others in our prayers.

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Works Cited

Information (read from, not taken):

Franciscan Media. "St. Bernardine of Siena. ”Saint Bernardine of Siena | Franciscan Media. Accessed 20, May 2021.

Images:

St. Bernardine of Siena. May 20, 2021. St. Bernardine of Siena - Google Search.