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Saint Bernardine of Siena
Saint Bernardine of Siena

Saint Bernardine of Siena

Feast Day
May 20, 2013
Patronage
Advertisers, Chest Problems, Gambling Addicts, Public Relations Personnel, Italy, Bernalda – Italy
<p>St. Bernardine of Siena was born on September 8, 1380, in Aquila, Italy.&nbsp; He was an Italian Priest, and a Franciscan Missionary.&nbsp; He is known in the Roman Catholic Church as &ldquo;The Apostle of Italy&rdquo; for his efforts to revive the country&rsquo;s Catholic faith during the 15<sup>th</sup> century.&nbsp; His preaching was often directed against gambling, witchcraft, sodomy, and usury.&nbsp; Two hagiographical lives of Bernardine were written by two of his friends, one the same year he died. &nbsp;</p> <p>He was born to a noble family in Tuscany, a Sienese town of which his father was the Governor.&nbsp; He was left orphaned at the age of six, and a pious aunt raised him.&nbsp; He took a course in civil and canon law in 1397, and joined the Confraternity of Our Lady attached to the hospital of Santa Maria della Scala.&nbsp; Three years later, when the plague hit Siena, he ministered to the ill, and assisted by ten companions, took over the entire hospital.&nbsp; He escaped the plague but was so exhausted that a fever confined him for several months.&nbsp; In 1403, he joined the Observant branch of the Order of Friars Minor, with a strict observance of St. Francis&rsquo; Rule.&nbsp; He was ordained a Priest in 1404 and was commissioned as a Preacher, in 1405.&nbsp; Instead of remaining cloistered and preaching only during the Liturgy, Bernardine preached directly to the public. &nbsp;</p> <p>For more than 30 years, he preached all over Italy, and played a great part in the Religious revival of the early fifteenth century.&nbsp; He had a weak and hoarse voice, but was one of the greatest preachers of his time.&nbsp; His style was simple, familiar, and abounding in imagery.&nbsp; He was an elegant and captivating preacher, and his use of imagery and creative language drew large crowds to hear his reflections.&nbsp; He traveled from place to place, never remaining in one place more than a few weeks.&nbsp; These journeys were all made by foot.&nbsp; In the towns, the crowds assembled to hear him were at times so great, that it became necessary to erect a pulpit at the market place.&nbsp; He generally preached to the crowds at dawn, with his sermons lasting three to four hours.&nbsp; He preached often of excess in luxury, and immodest apparel.&nbsp; He also spoke out against gambling, much to the dissatisfaction of the card manufacturers and sellers.&nbsp; His success about preaching against these things were so remarkable, that they became known as &ldquo;Bonfires of Vanities&rdquo;, where people would bring items such as mirrors, high-heeled shoes, perfumes, locks of false hair, cards, dice, chessmen, and other vices to be burned. &nbsp;</p> <p>His Sermons were unapologetic, and of severe moralizing temperament, basically fire and brimstone.&nbsp; He preached against various classes of people, he believed were particularly responsible for the moral corruption of Christendom.&nbsp; He was especially known for his devotion to the Holy Name of Jesus, and he devised a symbol, IHS, the first three letters of the name of Jesus in Greek.&nbsp; The devotion spread, and the symbol began to appear in Churches, homes and public buildings. &nbsp;</p> <p>He became Vicar General of the Observant branch of the Franciscans in Italy in 1438.&nbsp; When he took over the Observance, there were 150 members in all of Italy.&nbsp; Shortly before his death, there were well over 4,000.&nbsp; He also reformed in excess of 300 convents of Friars.&nbsp; He also sent missionaries to Asia, and he is credited with helping ensure that many ambassadors from different schismatic nations attended the Council of Florence.&nbsp; Worn out from years of preaching and of being Vicar General for the Franciscans, he died in 1444 in L&rsquo;Aquila.&nbsp; According to tradition from his area, his grave continued to leak blood from it, until two thirds of the city achieved reconciliation. &nbsp;</p> <p><span style="font-size: medium;"><strong>Practical Take Away</strong></span></p> <p>St. Bernardine of Siena was born on September 8, 1380, in Aquila, Italy.&nbsp; He was an Italian Priest, and a Franciscan Missionary.&nbsp; He is known in the Roman Catholic Church as &ldquo;The Apostle of Italy&rdquo; for his efforts to revive the country&rsquo;s Catholic faith during the 15<sup>th</sup> century.&nbsp; His preaching was often directed against gambling, witchcraft, sodomy, and usury.&nbsp; He was especially known for his devotion to the Holy Name of Jesus, and he devised a symbol, IHS, the first three letters of the name of Jesus in Greek.&nbsp; The devotion spread, and the symbol began to appear in Churches, homes and public buildings.&nbsp; Most Catholic Churches use this symbol to this day in its d&eacute;cor. &nbsp; For more than 30 years, he preached all over Italy, and played a great part in the Religious revival of the early fifteenth century. &nbsp;</p>