St. Bernardine of Siena (1380-1444)

Bernardine pioneered the use of sacred images like the IHS symbol to evangelize . . .

St. Bernardine of Siena

Feast Day: May 20
Patron of advertising, gambling addicts, public relations

Bernardine was one of the most gifted preachers who ever lived. After his ordination he spent 12 years in prayer and contemplation before beginning an explosive ministry in his mid-30s.

Bernardine was often referred to as the “Apostle of Italy,” and Pope Pius II compared him to St. Paul after hearing him preach. Bernardine attracted crowds of up to 30,000 people and had cities competing for a stop on his tour. People were drawn by his spellbinding preaching, but he always directed their gaze toward God. In the words of a contemporary, after Bernardine’s preaching, people would scamper to confession “like ants.”

A front-runner in “branding,” he had a theme that ran like a golden thread through his every message — and an image to go along with it. He preached about the Holy Name of Jesus and popularized the symbol of Jesus’ name: IHS surrounded by rays of light. This image can be seen in churches and on tabernacles to this day. It was displayed whenever Bernardine preached and was set out for veneration afterwards. The image became so popular that Bernardine helped a former gambler make a living by selling copies of it. Demand was so high for this simple piece of sacred art that the man made a small fortune!

The image was also used to strengthen Bernardine’s efforts to bring reconciliation to the many warring factions dividing Italy in the 1400s. He successfully convinced parishes to take down their region’s coat of arms and replace it with the IHS insignia — a sign of Christian unity. Bernardine was effective because he embodied what he preached, had a clear message and had a simple image to help people remember it, rightly earning him a place among the saints.

This column is produced for Legatus by the Dead Theologians Society, a Catholic apostolate for high school age teens and college age young adults. On the web: deadtheologianssociety.com