Faith Facts

21st August: St Bernard
22nd August:  St Pius and Queenship of Mary
24th August:  St Bartholomew

Who was St Bernard? And what has it got to do with dogs?

Saint Bernard (1090-1153) was a clever and Holy man who guided many princes, popes and holy people and helped them in their faith. He founded an order of monks that grew to have many monasteries. These were known as Cistercian monasteries.

There was monastery was high up in the Swiss mountains on the St Bernard’s Pass, it was called the monastery of St Bernard. It was a hospice for the sick and injured. At that monastery they had dogs that turned out to be very good at rescuing people in the snow and ice. They became name St Bernard. But guess what this monastery was named after a different St Bernard! St Bernard of Menthon (923 – 1008). He started this monastery for travellers.