Who is patron saint

Save Word. Definition of patron saint. Synonyms for patron saint Synonyms beau ideal , classic , eidolon , exemplar , idea , ideal , model , nonesuch , nonpareil , paragon Visit the Thesaurus for More. Examples of patron saint in a Sentence St.

David is the patron saint of Wales. Christopher is the patron saint of travelers. The success of her books has made her the patron saint of a new literary movement. Francis, known as the patron saint of animals and the environment, which falls on Oct. Morgan Allen. Joanne M. Pierce does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

On Oct. Acutis, a devout Roman Catholic, died of leukemia in After his death, people in his hometown of Milan claimed that miracles took place when they prayed for his assistance with their specific needs. As a scholar of medieval Christian liturgy and culture , I have studied how saints have been venerated in Western Christianity and their effect on Western culture.

Since the early centuries of Christianity, men and women who died as martyrs for their faith or who lived what were deemed to be exemplary lives in other ways came to be venerated. Because of this, saints were considered to be spiritual guides and mentors, who would add their prayers in heaven to those offered by Christians still living in the material world.

During the Middle Ages, the number of saints increased and the popes took charge of approving candidates for sainthood. If their cases withstood scrutiny, these locally venerated holy men and women would be declared official saints.

Subsequently, their names would be added to the official list of saints. In addition, many saints were venerated for a more specific reason. These saints came to be known as patron saints. Some saints are considered patron saints of nations, cities or other geographical areas. Colorado Immaculate Mary, Francis of Assisi. Comedians Vitus. Commissariat, French Army Ambrose.

Commissariat, Spanish military Teresa of Avila. Communication Workers Gabriel the Archangel. Communism, opposition to Joseph. Condemned criminals Dismas. Confessors Alphonsus de Liguori , John Nepomucene. Construction workers Thomas, Apostle. Contagious diseases Robert Bellarmine , Sebastian. Conze Conza , Italy Herbert Hoscam. Cooks Martha. Cordoba, Spain Acisclus , Victoria. Cork, Ireland Finbar. Council of Vatican II Joseph.

Court Clerks Thomas More. Craftsmen and women Dymphna. Craftworkers Luke. Cramps, protection against Cadoc of Llancarvan , Maurice , Pancras. Cremona, Italy Himerius. Crete Titus. Croatia Joseph. Crops, protection of Magnus of Fussen. Cuby, Cornwall Cybi. Cursillo movement Paul, Apostle. Customs officers Matthew. Cutlers Lucy. Cyprus Barnabas, Apostle. Dairy workers Bridgid of Ireland. Dalmatia Blaise. Dancers Vitus.

Deacons Stephen. Deaf Francis de Sales. Death by Artillery, protection against Barbara. Death, happy Joseph of Cupertino. Death, sudden Andrew Avellino. Degree candidates Joseph of Cupertino. Denmark Anskar. Dentists Apollonia. Detraction John Nepomucene. Devil, protection against Dionysius the Aeropagite.

Diabolical possession Cyriacus, Dymphna. Digne, France Vincent of Digne. Dijon Benignus of Dijon, Urban of Langres. Diocesan priests John of Avila. Diplomatic services Gabriel the Archangel. Disabled Giles. Disasters Genevieve Genofeva. Diseases of the eye Raphael the Archangel , Lucy. Diseases, contagious Roch , Sebastian. Diseases, nervous Dymphna.

Dizziness or Vertigo, protection against Ulric. Doctors Luke , Cosmas and Damian , Pantaleon. Domestic animals Antony the Abbot, Gerlac of Valkenburg. Domestic workers Zita. Dominican Republic Our Lady of Mercy. Doubters Joseph. Draguignan, France Rosalina of Villeneuve. Drought Genevieve Genofeva. Drought relief Herbert, Godeberta , Solange.

Drowning, death or danger from Adjutor. Druggists pharmacists Cosmas and Damian. Dubrovnik Blaise. Durham, England Cuthbert. Dyers Maurice. Earaches, protection against Cornelius , Polycarp of Smyrna. East Renfrewshire, Scotland Conval. Ecologists, ecology Francis of Assisi. Ecuadorian army Our Lady of Mercy. Edinburgh, Scotland Giles. Editors John Bosco , Francis de Sales. Education, public Martin de Porres. Egypt Mark. Einsiedeln, Switzerland Meinrad. Eloquence, sacred John Chrysostom.

Emigrants Frances Xavier Cabrini. Enemy Plots, protection against Drausinus. Engineers, Italian Benedict, Abbot. Engineers, military, Italian Barbara. England George , Michael the Archangel. English Benedictines Benedict Biscop. Epidemics Godeberta. Epilepsy Dymphna , Vitus , Willibrord. Equatorial Guinea Immaculate Conception of Mary. Ergotism, aka Saint Antony's fire, protection against Antony the Abbot. Eruptions of Mount Etna, protection against Agatha.

Ethiopia Frumentius. Eucharist, The Paschal Baylon. Eucharistic Guilds Paschal Baylon. Eucharistic congresses and organizations Paschal Baylon. Europe Benedict, Abbot, Cyril and Methodius. Evil Spirits, protection against Agrippina, Quirinus. Examination candidates Joseph of Cupertino. Exegetes, scriptural Jerome. Faculties of law Raymond of Pennafort. Fahan, Ireland Mura McFeredach. Falsely accused Raymond Nonnatus. Famine, protection against Walburga.

Farmers Isidore the Farmer. Fathers Joseph. Ferrara, Italy George. Fervent First Communion Bl Imelda. Fever Genevieve Genofeva. Fire danger from Agatha , Nicholas of Tolentino. Fire fighters Florian , John of God. Fire prevention Catherine of Siena , Agatha. Firemen Italian Barbara. First Communicants Tarcisius. Fishermen Andrew, Apostle , Peter. Fleury-sur-Loire Drogo. Flood Gregory the Wonderworker, Florian. Florence, Italy John the Baptist , Zenobius. Florentine cheese merchants Bartholomew the Apostle.

Florentine salt merchants Bartholomew the Apostle. Rose of Viterbo. Flying Joseph of Cupertino , Elijah. Flying, all involved in Our Lady of Loreto.

Fragalata, Sicily Calogerus , Demetrius, Gregory. Franciscan Lay Didacus. Franciscan laity Didacus. French Commissariat Ambrose of Milan. French monarchs Louis IX. Frenzy, protection against Denis, Peter the Apostle , Ulric.

Frost, protection against Urban of Langres. Funeral directors Joseph of Arimathea. Garage, or gas station, workers Eligius Eloi. Garment workers Homobonus. Gas station workers Eligius Eloi.

Geese Martin of Tours. Germany Anskar , Michael the Archangel. Gibraltar Bernard of Clairvaux. Girl Scouts Agnes of Rome. Girls Agnes , Maria Goretti. Glassworkers Luke. Glaziers Lucy.

Glendalough, Ireland Kevin. Goa, India Francis Xavier. Golden-Tounges orator Peter Chrysologus. Goldsmiths Dunstan , Anastasius, Eligius Eloi. Gozo George. Gravediggers Antony the Abbot, Joseph of Arimathea.

Greece Paul, Apostle. Greek Catholic Union Nicholas of Myra. Greetings Valentine. Grocers Michael the Archangel. Gronigen, Nederlands Walburga. Guatemala James the Greater. Gunners Barbara. Haarlem, Nederlands Bavo. Haemorrhage Lucy. Haemorrhoid sufferers Fiacre. Hairdressers Martin de Porres , Cosmas and Damian. Hanging; Hanged People, protection against Colman of Stockerau.

Health inspectors Raphael the Archangel. Health service, public Martin de Porres. Heart patients John of God.

Hesitation, protection against Joseph. High command, Spanish Immaculate Conception of Mary. Highways, motorways John the Baptist. Hirnant, Powys, Wales Ellidius. Hoarseness Bernardine of Siena. Hoarseness, protection against Bernardine of Siena , Maurus. Holland Willibrord. Horse-riders Martin of Tours. Horticulturalists Adam , Fiacre. Hoteliers Italian Martha. House hunting Joseph.

Housewives Anne Mother of Mary , Martha. Hydrophobia, or rabies Hubert, Ubald. Iceland Anskar , Thorlac. Iceland St. Thorlac Thorhallsson.

Illinois Our Lady of the Universe. Illness mental Dymphna. Immigrants Frances Xavier Cabrini. Impenitence, protection against Barbara , Mark the Evangelist. Imperia Italy Leonard of Port Maurice. Impossible Cases Rita of Cascia. Indiscretions, protection against John Nepomucene. Infantry Martin of Tours. Infantry, Spanish Immaculate Conception of Mary. Infertility Rita of Cascia. Inflammatory Diseases, protection against Benedict. Information Workers Archangel Gabriel.

Innocent people falsely accused Raymond Nonnatus. Insanity Dymphna. Insects, protection against Dominic of Silos. Invalids Roch. Ireland Patrick , Columba, Bridgid of Ireland. Isle of Man Maughold. Jamaica Mary, on feast of her Assumption. Jealousy, protection against Elizabeth of Portugal.

Jesuit Order; Jesuits Ignatius of Loyola. Jesuit students Aloysius Gonzaga. Joiners Joseph , Thomas, Apostle. Jordan John the Baptist. Journalists Francis de Sales. Journeys, safe Christopher. Justice, social Martin de Porres. Catholicism Expert. Richert is senior content network manager of Our Sunday Visitor. Updated September 10, Cite this Article Format. Richert, Scott P. What Are Patron Saints?

Saint Patrick's Life and Miracles. Biography of St. Francis of Assisi, the Patron Saint of Animals. Biography of Saint Lucy, Bringer of Light. Mary Magdalene, Patron Saint of Women.

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