Bernard was a priest in the Northern Italian region of Aosta. For more than 40 years, he travelled throughout his diocese, visiting every mountainside village and valley. He celebrated Eucharist and Reconciliation with the people, gave instructions in the faith, built churches, and started schools.

Everywhere he went he heard stories of travellers who had been lost in the mountains and frozen to death or been ambushed by robbers. But back in the 11th century, people travelled on foot, on horseback, or in carts. Bernard saw a need, and he decided to do something about it.

Bernard built two hospices for travellers where they could not find only shelter from the weather and safety from robbers, but a place to rest and eat. These hospices were located along two of the most frequently used routes, which were eventually named for Bernard—the Great St. Bernard Pass and the Little St. Bernard Pass.

He brought Augustinian monks to run the hospices, and they built a monastery in the mountains. Every morning a patrol went out to look for travellers who were lost or injured and brought them back to the hospital. It was the monks who eventually bred the large, fury dogs—now called Saint Bernards—to help them find and rescue lost travellers.

St. Bernard was venerated from the 12th century, but was not formally canonized until 1681 by Pope Innocent XI. Pope Pius XI confirmed St. Bernard as the patron saint of the Alps in 1923.

As of 2012, the Congregation consisted of about 35 Professed Members, the majority of them live at the Hospice while providing pastoral care to neighbouring parishes.

Other Saints of the Day

1. St. Justus of Urgel

2. St. Paul Hanh

3. St. Podius

4. Bl. Robert Johnson

5. St. Senator