May 20th St. Bernardine of Siena

Born in 1380, he joined the Franciscans in 1402, first near Siena and then at Fiesole, above Florence. In 1417 he began the great work for which he is famous, the preaching journeys which took him all over Italy, proclaiming the need for poverty, penance and humility in the face of the continuous wars between Italian city-states. In 1437 he became vicar-general of the 'Observant' friars who stressed the role of preaching and teaching, but in 1443 he went back to his preaching circuit. His last task was at Massa Marittima, south of Pisa, where he preached a mission of 50 sermons in 50 days. He then set out for Naples but died on route, at L'Aquila. He is particularly associated with the devotion of the Holy Name of Jesus, and popularised the representation IHS (Jhesus, or 'Iesu Hominum Salvator' - Jesus, Saviour of mankind) surrounded by sun-rays. Ironically many of these were made by a former maker of playing-cards whom Bernardine put out of business in that line through his attacks on the evils of gambling.