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CNA
  • Bernardine of Siena
    St. Bernardine was born in Siena, September 8, 1380, the feast of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, and died May 20, 1444 in Aquila.St. Bernardine, known as ‘The Apostle of Italy’ was the greatest Italian missionary and preacher of the fifteenth century. He was the reformer and popularizer of the Order of Friars Minor of the Strict Observance (the order grew from 300 members when he joined them to over 4000 at the time of his death), and  the Apostle of the Holy Name of Jesus, the feast of which was instituted in the universal Church in 1722 due to his efforts at encouraging the devotion.Bernardine was orphaned at the age of 6 and brought up by pious aunts. At 17 he joined the Confraternity of Our Lady, which was joined to a hospital, but he lived a life of seclusion and prayer until the plague broke out three years later when he felt called to minister to the sick.Bernardine received the habit of the Friars Minor at San Francesco in Siena, September 8, 1402, entered the Observantine convent of Columbaio and was professed September 8, 1403 and ordained September 8, 1404. The Feast of the Nativity of Mary was the date for many of the great events of his life, including his birth, and his devotion to the Blessed Virgin was undoubtedly profound – he wrote several treatises on Her (as well as on St. Joseph), and She was the school in which he learned to be humble and obedient to the will of God.In 1417, at the age of 37, Bernardine began preaching in Milan and the fiery, and often playful eloquence he demonstrated was soon attracting crowds in the tens of thousands. His mission was to preach to all of Italy, a mission which had been predicted 12 years earlier by the great orator St. Vincent Ferrer who claimed during one of his sermons that one listening to him (Bernardine was present that day) would continue his mission.A biographer of his day stated that Bernardine "cleansed all Italy from sins of every kind in which she abounded".  He was so successful in his preaching that people went to confession in droves “like antsâ€� and whole cities changed laws in accordance with what he preached.  He attacked all kinds of corruption among those with power and wealth without any fear of reprisal.He persuaded cities to replace coats of arms and names of warring families from Church and government buildings and to replace them with the letters I.H.S., the initials of the Holy Name of Jesus. Devotion to the Name was greatly increased through Bernardine’s preaching in which he would often hold a tablet with the initials up for all to venerate.He declined three appointments to the episopacy, including the see of his native Siena, insisting on following his calling to preach to all of Italy.Bernardine died of a fever on his way to preach in Naples in 1444, on the eve of the Ascension of Our Lord, May 20.  He was canonized six years later on account of the numerous miracles that occurred through his intercession after his death, and his evident holiness during his life.In 1956, Pope Pius XII named St. Bernardine the patron saint of advertisers and advertising due to his ability to use simple language and powerful symbols to preach the faith.