Saint Bernardine of Siena

"Apostle of Italy" - Friar Minor - Missionary - Reformer

Our love story with Saint Bernardine of Siena or San Bernardino, as we have known and loved him, began a long time ago - about the time we got to know St. Catherine of Siena and the Miracle of the Eucharist of Siena.

For, you see, right adjacent to the Basilica of St. Francis is the Oratory of St. Bernardine of Siena.

Each time, we would go to visit the Miracle of the Eucharist of Siena, we would see the sign of the Oratory; but along with it, the dreaded sign - the Oratory was being restored!

Finally, one day, the door was open! and so we went in and took pictures. You could see the restoration had not been completed, if even started.

That was over twenty years ago. But God has patience with us, and here we are twenty-three books later writing about our dear St. Bernardine of Siena.

We have so many memories Saint Bernardine of Siena

One time, when we went to visit our loves in Siena, the Eucharist and St. Catherine of Siena, we just happened to land in the midst of a Festa celebrating the Feast Days of Saints Bernardine and Catherine, co-patrons of Siena.

With all the pageantry of medieval Siena, the flags of their sixteen regions, twirling and blowing in the wind, young men, dressed as knights and pages, processed in the streets, carrying relics of Siena's and our two beloved Saints.

It was an awesome sight - Church in all its pomp and glory giving praise and honor to Our Lord and His Mother, through the memory of these two faithful Saints, who colored the lives, and continue to color the lives of all who learn about them!

Saint Bernardine of Siena and the Symbol of Jesus

As Saint Bernardine of Siena traveled, so did the Holy Name of Jesus. Everywhere he went, he persuaded the dignitaries of the different cities to take down the emblems of the warring factions from their buildings - their churches and palaces - and instead place on them the Holy Name of Jesus. And till today, you can see the initials IHS - the Holy Name of Jesus on all the buildings in Siena and Florence, just to mention a few.

This symbol became his vanguard, as he paved the way for devotion to the Holy Name of Jesus. His preaching on the Holy Name of Jesus was so potent and caught on so quickly, he was asked to speak in city after city. When he spoke, he held a plaque with the emblem of the Holy Name of Jesus on it, in front of him; and with the passion of He, Whom it represented, Bernardine moved the hearts of everyone in the audience to desire the emblem. Soon the emblem was clamored for, to place not only on the outside of buildings, churches and etc., but on homes.

Now, there was a craftsman, in Bologna, Italy, who painted playing cards. Bernardine’s sermons against gambling caused him to lose his primary income. He was furious! But his anger soon turned to joy, as Saint Bernardine of Siena persuaded him to paint the emblems IHS16 on plaques. In place of his earlier pursuit of creating cards, that were instruments of temptation, he now was painting day after day, the emblem of the Holy Name of Jesus, consequently becoming an instrument, bringing the Lord’s presence into the midst of a worldliness that would blot Him out. These powerful signs of hope and love spread and spread. And then because God is so generous to those who honor Him, with the huge demand for the plaques, the craftsman soon recouped his original assets and then some.

Continued