May 20 | Saint Bernardine of Siena

Welcome, young history buffs and curious minds, to My Daily Saint, the podcast that digs deep into the incredible lives of the saints, those remarkable people who shaped history and continue to inspire us today. Forget dusty old portraits and boring stories. Today, we are traveling back in time to the year 1400. Picture this. A deadly plague is sweeping across Ivali. In one hospital in the city of Scala, the sickness is so fierce that 20 people are dying every single day. Panic is everywhere, the staff is overwhelmed, and hope is fading fast.

But stepping out of the chaos is a young man. He's not a trained doctor with decades of experience, and he's not a seasoned knight. He is just… He is 20 years old, but while others are running away in fear, he walks right into the center of the devastation, takes complete charge of the entire hospital operation, and rallies 12 of his friends to fight the plague by his side. This is the story of Bernardine Albicheski, better known to us today as Saint Bernardine of Siena.

Bernadine's incredible courage didn't just come out of nowhere. His story actually starts with deep heartbreak. Born into a wealthy family in Siena, Italy in 1380, Bernadine lost his mother when he was only three years old, and then tragically lost his father when he was just seven. Orphaned at such a young age, he was taken in by his Aunt Diana. Instead of letting him be consumed by sadness, Aunt Diana taught the young boy to seek God to find comfort in his profound grief.

This upbringing completely shaped his heart. From a young age, Bernadine became known for his kindness and generosity toward the poor, and he was an incredibly focused student. Before he ever followed his calling as a famous preacher, he spent his youth rolling up his sleeves, attending to the sick and poor at that hospital in Scala.

When that devastating plague hit, Bernardine's fearless leadership saved countless lives. Miraculously, even though he was constantly surrounded by the sick, he never actually caught the deadly plague himself. However, he worked himself to the absolute brink of exhaustion caring for his patients, eventually collapsing from severe illness. After recovering, he cared for his beloved Aunt Diana until she passed away. By age 22, having lost almost everyone close to him, he sought total seclusion. He spent his time fasting and praying intensely, asking God what he was supposed to do with the rest of his life.

The answer he got changed the course of history. Bernadine entered a religious order called the Franciscans of the Strict Observance. Just two years later, he was ordained as a priest. At first, he stayed out of the spotlight, spending his early years in the order quietly fasting and praying. But soon, people started to realize that Bernadine had a massive gift for preaching.

When he went out to share the gospel, he was a powerhouse. He became known for promoting a special devotion to the holy name of Jesus. His popularity exploded. He was offered the high-ranking office of bishop multiple times, but he repeatedly refused it because he wanted to stay connected to the people.

Eventually, he did serve as the vicar general of his Franciscan order, using his leadership skills to exponentially multiply the number of friars joining their ranks. After five years in that leadership role, he stepped down to get back to what he loved most, preaching.

He traveled and preached until his voice completely gave out, and his physical strength left him, eventually dying while out on the road on May 20, 1444. Because of this massive, countrywide evangelization effort, St. Bernardine is remembered forever as the Apostle of Italy.

Because of this, St. Bernardine is the patron saint of advertising, communications, and public relations. He is also the patron saint of Italy and, interestingly enough, gambling. Think about how he used his communication skills to spread hope and goodness. Your challenge this week is to be the public relations manager for goodness in your own life. Use your voice, whether that's what you post on social media, the texts you send in your group chats, or how you talk to your friends, to lift people up.

Be a voice of encouragement. And remember, if a 20-year-old could step up and lead a hospital through a terrifying plague, you are absolutely capable of stepping up to help someone in need in your own community right now. Thank you for joining us on My Daily Saint. We look forward to sharing another incredible story of faith and courage with you tomorrow.