07 November - Ernest is born in Steisslingen, Germany. As a young man he entered the Benedictine monastery at Zwiefalten on Lake Constance. He was director of this monastery from 1141 to 1146.

This monastery, which Ernest entered, was a mixed abbey which at that time consisted of sixty monks, one hundred and thirty friars and seventy nuns. At the request of Saint Bernard to take part in the Second Crusade to the Holy Land, Ernest left the order to go and preach in the Holy Land. Emperor Conrad III was then at the head of the army. The soldiers needed someone to encourage them through all the trials and tribulations along the way, so Pope Eugene III decided that Ernest would be at the head of the mission. On leaving his confreres in the monastery, Ernest said, "I don't care what death awaits me, if I suffer for the love of Christ."

Ernest preached in the Muslim world, in the regions of Arabia and Persia. Shortly afterwards, in 1147, the Muslims seized him, imprisoned him and took him to Mecca, where he was persuaded to convert to Islam, but he refused and was tortured and killed, he did not even reach Jerusalem, the holy city. It should be noted that during his ordeal, Ernest encouraged his companions to cling firmly to their faith in Jesus Christ.