Bernard of Menthon

St. Bernard of Menthon, C.R.S.A.
Born	ca. 1020 Château de Menthon, County of Savoy, Kingdom of Arles
Died	June 1081 Imperial Free City of Novara, Holy Roman Empire
Venerated in	Roman Catholic Church (Canons Regular of St. Augustine), Eastern Orthodox Church
Canonized	1681 by Pope Innocent XI
Feast	May 28
Attributes	In the mountains, with a dog
Patronage	mountaineers, skiers, skateboarding, backpacking and the Alps

Saint Bernard of Menthon, C.R.S.A., (or Bernard of Montjoux) was the founder of the famed hostel which has served travelers for nearly a millennium and of the congregation of canons regular which has served it throughout that history. It has given rise to the famous breed of dogs named for that hostel.

Bernard was born about 1020, probably in the Château de Menthon, near Annecy, then in the County of Savoy, a part of the Kingdom of Arles. He was descended from a rich and noble family and received a thorough education. When he had reached adulthood, he decided to devote himself to the service of the Church and refused an honorable marriage proposed by his father. In popular legend it is said that he had to sneak out of the castle on the night before an arranged wedding, and that during his flight from the castle, he threw himself from his window, only to be captured by angels and lowered gently to the ground 40 feet (12 meters) below.

Placing himself under the direction of Peter, the Archdeacon of Aosta, under whose guidance he rapidly progressed, Bernard was ordained a priest. Later, on account of his learning and virtue, he was appointed to succeed his mentor as archdeacon of the cathedral, giving him the charge of the government of the diocese, directly under the bishop.

Seeing the old pagan ways still prevailing among the people of the Alps, Bernard resolved to devote himself to their conversion. For 42 years he continued to preach the Gospel to these people and even into many cantons of Lombardy, effecting numerous conversions and working many miracles.

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