Saint Bernardine of Siena
Priest (
1444 Anno Domini A.D.) Feast: 20 May
Saints Who Served in Times of Plague & Pandemic 
Bernardine was born in A.D. 1380 of a noble family. He was orphaned by the age of 7 & then cared for by 2 aunts. As a teenager, her pursued a law degree 
When he was 20, the plague 
came to Siena. After many of the hospital staff succumbed 
Bernardine & 10 other men took it over...
https://catholicmagazine.news/st-bernardine-of-siena-a-voice-for-a-world-in-decline/
& cared for the afflicted for 4 months. Bernardine himself became very ill, although it is not clear if he contracted the plague. Upon recovery, he went to the Franciscans, making vows in A.D. 1403 & receiving Holy Orders the next year. He embraced an ascetic lifestyle & continued his studies in theology 
In A.D. 1417, Bernardine began an immensely successful preaching career 
He traversed much of Italy 
Bernardine 's powerful voice & entertaining open-air sermons drawing up to 30,000 people at a time. Bernardine denounced usury & witchcraft 
challenged the soft upper classes 
& preached peace to warring factions 
Above all, he spoke of conversion & inflamed the people's hearts 
with love of Jesus. Bernardine's mission of promoting the name of Jesus by way of placards emblazoned with the acronym IHS 
derived from the 1st 3 Greek letters of the name of Jesus
caused Bernardine to be called to Rome to answer a charge of encouraging idolatry. The pope ended up applauding his work. The fervent Bernardine drew many into the Observant Franciscans & refused 3 bishoprics ♗ insisting that "all of Italy is my diocese." He died in A.D. 1444.
Merciful Father, through the intercession of Saint Bernardine of Siena , inflame my heart with the love of Jesus 
#SaintBernardineOfSiena #PrayForUs
youtube.com/shorts/pFdZF9lVwiE
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