Saint Louis Bertrand
![[Saint Louis Bertran]](http://saints.sqpn.com/wp-content/gallery/saint-louis-bertrand/saint-louis-bertrand-00.jpg "92kb jpg photograph of a Saint Louis Bertrand stained glass window; swiped with permission from the flickr account of Brother Lawrence Lew, OP")
Also known as
- Apostle of South America
- Luis Beltran
Profile
Relative of Saint Vincent Ferrer. Deeply religious from childhood, Louis joined the Dominicans in 1544 at age 18. Ordained in 1547 at age 21. Noted preacher. Master of novices for 30 years. Worked with plague victims in 1557. Friend of Saint Teresa of Avila, and helped her reform her order. Missionary to Central and South America, and to the Caribbean; Louis expected to be martyred. He survived a poisoning attacks by local shamans, and reported to have converted 15,000. Prophet, miracle worker, and may have had the gift of tongues. After seven years of work, Louis returned to Spain to report on the bad actions of Spaniards in the region; he was re-assigned to preaching and training novices in Valencia.
Born
Died
- chalice surmounted by a serpent
- extinguishing a fire
- holding a chalice occupied by a serpent (represents the attempts to poison him)
- holding a cross
Additional Information
- Book of Saints, by the Monks of Ramsgate
- Google Directory
- Kirken i Norge norwegian
- New Catholic Dictionary
- Our Sunday Visitor’s Encyclopedia of Saints, by Matthew Bunson, Margaret Bunson, and Stephen Bunson
- Pictorial Lives of the Saints
- Wikipedia
MLA Citation
