(C.D. Stampley Enterprises, Charlotte, NC 2001). Used with permission.

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St. Bernardine of Siena (1380-1444)

Feast day: May 20

A dynamic preacher, St. Bernardine’s favorite topic was the Holy Name of {ln:Jesus}. While he preached he held up in front of his congregation a tablet inscribed with the letters IHS. Because of its resemblance to a logo, or even a miniature billboard, St. Bernardine became patron of advertisers.

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As a young man Bernardine of Siena went to hear St. Vincent Ferrer. In the middle of his sermon the Dominican preacher predicted that there was someone in the crowd who one day would take his place. Bernardine was that man.

As an Observant Franciscan priest Bernardine traveled the entire length of Italy preaching against gambling, usury, and superstition, and urging his listeners to recommit themselves to Christ. He had a powerful voice which sounded strong and clear in churches, but also carried well when he preached from outdoor pulpits. Like other Franciscan preachers of the time Bernardine wove stories and jokes into his sermons, the better to keep his audience’s attention. He is most famous, however, for his favorite visual aid—a wooden tablet on which was painted the initials IHS, the symbol for the Holy Name of {ln:Jesus}.

Inspired by Bernardine’s preaching noble families replaced the coats of arms they had hung on the walls of their palaces and favorite churches with a panel bearing the emblem IHS. Almost overnight there was a tremendous demand for objects that bore the sacred monogram. In Bologna a card-maker complained that his business had been ruined by Bernardine’s sermons against gambling. Bernardine suggested he take up a new trade painting the Holy Name on placards. The former card-maker took the preacher’s advice and made a small fortune.

It was Bernardine’s custom to end his sermons by inviting the crowd to come forward to kiss the sacred monogram. In 1427 one of his rivals, a Dominican named Manfred of Vercelli, gave {ln:Pope} Martin V a grossly distorted account of what Bernardine was doing, even going so far as to accuse Bernardine of encouraging idolatry. Bernardine’s first meeting with the {ln:Pope} did not go well: Martin was cold and suspicious. He forbade Bernardine to preach or to display the IHS emblem until a tribunal had examined his writings.

On June 8 the opposing parties gathered in St. Peter’s Basilica for a formal hearing before the {ln:Pope} . St. John Capistrano spoke on Bernardine’s behalf. By the end of the session Manfred’s spite was exposed and Bernardine was cleared of all charges. Martin V not only endorsed devotion to the Holy Name of {ln:Jesus}, he urged Bernardine to preach in Rome.

Bernardine kept traveling and preaching to the end of his life. He was on his way to give a mission in Naples when he fell ill with a high fever and died in Aquila on May 20, 1444. He was canonized six years later.

Spurred on by Bernardine’s fellow Franciscans signs of devotion to the Holy Name cropped up everywhere—from papermakers who used the sacred initials as a watermark to St. Joan of Arc who had the Holy Names of {ln:Jesus} and Mary inscribed on her banner. In the 16^th century IHS became the emblem of the Jesuits. Veneration for the Holy Name of {ln:Jesus} endures today especially in the Holy Name Society which is a regular feature of parish life in the United States.

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St. George (died c.303)

Feast day: April 23

Nearly one thousand years ago the Crusaders adopted St. George as their patron saint, but devotion to him as the guardian of fighting men (and women) may go back much farther.

Even people who can’t tell the difference between an archangel and anchorite recognize St. George. The heroic image of George in full armor mounted on a white charger spearing a dragon appears on everything from Orthodox icons to British military medals to boxes of pasta. He is the patron saint of Genoa, Portugal, Catalonia, Armenia, Hungary, and most famously of England. Georgia, the former Soviet republic, was named for him.

According to the Church historian Eusebius, Emperor Diocletian’s empire-wide persecution of the Church began in 303 with the publication of an edict that outlawed Christian worship, expelled Christians from all public offices and the army, and ordered the destruction of churches and Christian books. In Nicomedia an unnamed Christian man tore down the edict and publicly destroyed it. He was arrested, tortured, and beheaded. Hagiographers believe that this anonymous martyr is the real St. George.

Beginning in the 5th century the most extravagant legends grew up around George—a sure sign of his popularity. He was said to have been tortured for seven years, to have risen from the dead three times, to have raised from the grave seventeen people who had been dead for centuries. And of course there is the story of his battle with the dragon.

Although devotion to St. George was widespread throughout the Christian world the Crusades gave fresh impetus to his cult, especially as the patron saint of fighting men. Crusaders told how at the siege of Antioch in 1098 the military martyrs, St. George, St. Demetrius, St. Theodore, and St. Mercurius, rode down from Heaven to fight on the side of the Christians. St. George appeared again at Jerusalem: as a knight in white armor marked with a red cross he was the first to scale the city walls and led the Crusaders into the Saracen-occupied city. King Richard the Lionheart (reigned 1189-1199) placed his army under the protection of St. George. In 1348 Edward III established his Order of the Garter with St. George as the knights’ patron.

The English military turned again to St. George for inspiration during World War I. He was depicted on recruiting posters and soldiers in the trenches claimed to have seen him on his charger leading them against the Germans. After the war his image was often featured prominently in memorials to the fallen. Today St. George is still an emblem of courage and chivalry.

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Prayer to the saints is a powerful thing.

Now, with Saints for Every Occasion, readers can quickly find help for any challenge they face – no matter how large or small. Author Thomas J. Craughwell profiles 101 patron saints from various continents, cultures and times – from saints who were contemporaries of Christ, to modern patrons like Padre Pio and Faustina Kowalska. Each saint lived heroically in difficult times and circumstances, providing powerful examples of how to turn almost any obstacle into a source of grace. Along with old favorites such as St. Anthony and St. Jude, Craughwell offers patrons for specifically modern concerns, including, for example, saints to watch over astronauts, internet users and environmental activists. Beautifully illustrated and entertainingly told, Saints for Every Occasion features 101 patron saints readers will seek out time and again.

“An excellent resource for home and classroom use.” – Publisher’s Weekly {/tabs}