Bernard of Menthon

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Bernard of Menthon
Little St Bernard Pass
Born	c. 923, Château de Menthon, Savoy
Died	1008, Novara
Venerated in	Roman Catholic Church
Canonized	1681 by Innocent XI
Feast	May 28
Attributes	In the mountains, with a dog
Patronage	mountaineers, skiers, the Alps
Saints Portal

Saint Bernard of Menthon (Bernard of Montjoux), Born in 923, probably in the Château de Menthon near Annecy, in Savoy; died at Novara, 1008. He was descended from a rich, noble family and received a thorough education. He refused an honorable marriage proposed by his father and decided to devote himself to the service of the Church. Sneaking away from the chateau the day before the wedding, he fled to Italy and joined the Benedictine order. Placing himself under the direction of Peter, Archdeacon of Aosta, under whose guidance he rapidly progressed, Bernard was ordained priest and on account of his learning and virtue was made Archdeacon of Aosta (966), having charge of the government of the diocese under the bishop. Seeing the old pagan ways still prevailing among the people of the Alps, he resolved to devote himself to their conversion. For forty-two years he continued to preach the Gospel to these people and even into many cantons of Lombardy, effecting numerous conversions and working many miracles. In popular legend it is said that during his flight from Château de Menthon, Bernard cast himself from his window only to be captured by angels and lowered gently to the ground forty feet below. In actuality he used a chain of knotted bed sheets.

[edit] St Bernard's Passes

Main articles: Great St. Bernard Pass, Little St. Bernard Pass.

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Great St. Bernard Pass, 2469 m, August 2003

For another reason, however, Bernard's name will forever be famous in history. Since the most ancient times there has been a path across the Pennine Alps leading from the valley of Aosta to the Swiss canton of Valais. The traditional route of this pass is covered with perpetual snow from seven to eight feet deep, and drifts sometimes accumulate to the height of forty feet. Although the pass was extremely dangerous, especially in the springtime on account of avalanches, it was often used by French and German pilgrims on their way to Rome. For the convenience and protection of travelers St. Bernard founded a monastery and hospice at the highest point of the pass, 8,000 feet above sea-level, in the year 962, whence the pass came to bear his name. A few years later he established another hospice on the Little St. Bernard Pass, a mountain saddle in the Graian Alps, 7,076 feet above sea-level. Both were placed in charge of Augustinian monks after pontifical approval had been obtained by Bernard during a visit to Rome.

In 1913 these hospices were renowned for the generous hospitality extended to all travelers over the Great and Little St. Bernard, so called in honor of the founder of these charitable institutions. At all seasons of the year, but especially during heavy snow-storms, the heroic monks accompanied by their well-trained dogs, the common herding dogs of the Valais ("St Bernards" are attested from the 17th century), went out in search of victims who might have succumbed to the severity of the weather. They offered food, clothing, and shelter to the unfortunate travelers and took care of the dead. They depended on gifts and collections for sustenance. At this time the order consisted of about forty members, the majority of whom lived at the hospice while some had charge of neighboring parishes.

The last act of St. Bernard's life was the reconciliation of two noblemen whose strife threatened a fatal outcome. He was interred in the cloister of St. Lawrence. Although venerated from the 12th century in such places of northern Italy as Aosta, Novara and Brescia, he was not formally recognized as a saint until his canonization by Innocent XI in 1681. His feast is celebrated on 28 May. Pope Pius XI confirmed Bernard as patron saint of the Alps in 1923. His image appears in the flag of some detachments of the Tyrolean Alpine Guard.