Bernardnof Montjoux was probably born around 1020, probably in what is nownItaly. He worked as a priest in the Italian Alps. He built schoolsnand hospitals, but he is most famous for building shelters fornmountain climbers and travelers using a path across the Pennine Alps.nThe pass that people used to cross the mountains was always coverednby seven to eight feet of snow—with drifts up to 40 feet deep! Ofncourse, travelers moving through so much snow faced dangers, such asngetting lost and hypothermia, and in this location there wasnparticular danger from avalanches.
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nBernardnbuilt a hospice in that pass, 8,000 feet above sea level. A few yearsnlater, he established another hospice in another pass, about 7,000nfeet above sea level.
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nThesenhospices have been used by travelers for nearly 1,000 years! Theynwere famous for their hospitality to all travelers, offering not justnshelter but also food, clothing, and medical aid. The canons whonlived there and cared for the travelers trained large dogs to helpnsearch for people lost in snowstorms or buried in avalanches. Ofncourse, you will have guessed that the dogs are known as St.nBernards! n
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nNowadaysnthere are still about 35 people living at the hospices and offeringnhelp to travelers and adventurers. St. Bernard dogs still live there,ntoo—but they are mostly pets; these days helicopters are used innrescue operations.
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nWhatna great legacy—Bernard is considered the patron saint of skiing,nsnowboarding, hiking, backpacking, and mountaineering. And anwonderful breed of dog is named after him!
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Bynthe way…
Bynthe way…n
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nManynSt. Bernard dogs are pictured with small barrels attached to theirncollars. But the search-and-rescue dogs at Bernard’s hospices neverncarried such barrels. A 17-year-old painter named Edwin Landseernpainted Alpine dogs trying to help an injured traveler, in 1820, andnhe painted a small barrel around one of the dog’s necks. Landseernsaid that the barrel contained brandy, a restorative for cold,npossibly injured travelers. In actual fact, brandy would make anperson suffering from exposure even more cold, so it should never benused as a “restorative” in this situation!
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nStill,nthe imagination of a young artist has added something to the publicnimage of St. Bernard dogs. Many owners of “Saints,” as they arensometimes called, purchase collars decorated with the smallnbarrels—some of them marked with a red cross. Apparently many ofnthe small barrels on collars do not have any opening, so not only arenthe barrels empty, there is no way to fill them nor to sip or gulpnliquid from them!
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nInthought it was funny that such small-barrel collars are even kept atnthe hospice, these days; even though the Alpine guides assure us thatnthe breed never carried brandy or any other beverage in barrelsnaround their necks, visitors want to take photos of dogs withnbarrels, so the guides keep a few on hand!
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nPlannAhead…
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Checknout my Pinterest boards of Junenholidays, historicalnanniversaries in June,nand Junenbirthdays.
Checknout my Pinterest boards of Junenholidays, historicalnanniversaries in June,nand Junenbirthdays.
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nAlsonon this date:
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Slugs Return from Capistrano
Slugs Return from Capistrano n
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nAnniversarynof the introduction of Jell-O
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nAnniversarynof the Battle of the Eclipse
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