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Patron Saints

What is a patron saint?
Patron saints are chosen as special protectors or guardians over areas of life. These areas can include occupations, illnesses, churches, countries, causes -- anything that is important to us. The earliest records show that people and churches were named after apostles and martyrs as early as the fourth century.

Recently, the popes have named patron saints but patrons can be chosen by other individuals or groups as well. Patron saints are often chosen today because an interest, talent, or event in their lives overlaps with the special area. Angels can also be named as patron saints. A patron saint can help us when we follow the example of that saint's life and when we ask for that saint's intercessory prayers to God.

For example, Francis of Assisi loved nature and so he is patron of ecologists. Francis de Sales was a writer and so he is patron of journalists and writers. Clare of Assisi was named patron of television because one Christmas when she was too ill to leave her bed she saw and heard Christmas Mass -- even though it was taking place miles away.

	Saint of the Day Learn about the lives of the saints and other saint resources, including a calendar, over 5,000 saint biographies, our most popular saints, and a list of patron saints. 7 days / week. See Sample
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AIDS care-givers	Aloysius Gonzaga
AIDS patients	Aloysius Gonzaga, Peregrine Laziosi, Therese of Lisieux
Abandoned children	Ivo of Kermartin, Jerome Emiliani
Abbeville, France	Wulfram of Sens
Abdominal pains	Erasmus (Elmo)
Abingdon, England	Edmund Rich of Abingdon
Abortion, protection against	Catherine of Sweden
Abruzzi region of Italy	Gabriel of Our Lady of Sorrows
Academies, Roman Catholic	Thomas Aquinas
Acadians, Cajuns	Our Lady of the Assumption
Accountants	Matthew
Accused (falsely)	Raymond Nonnatus
Achaia	Andrew, Apostle
Actors	Genesius, Vitus
Advertisers, advertising	Bernardine of Siena
Advocates	Ivo of Kermartin
Africa, Central	The Most Pure Heart of Mary
Africa, North	Cyprian of Carthage
Africa, Southern	Mary, on feast of her Assumption
African Catholic Youth Action	Charles Lwanga
Agirone, Sicily	Philip of Agirone
Air crew	Our Lady of Loreto
Air crew, Belgian	Our Lady of Loreto
Air crew, French	Mary, on feast of her Assumption
Air crew, Spanish	Our Lady of Loreto
Air force, Argentinian	Our Lady of Loreto
Air travelers	Joseph of Cupertino
Airborne (Paratroopers)	Michael the Archangel
Alabama USA	Our Lady of the Gulf
Alaska USA	Our Lady of the Kodiak and the Islands
Albania	Mary, Mother of Good Counsel
Albi, France	Cecilia
Alcala, Spain	Justus and Pastor
Alcira, Valencia, Spain	Bernard, Gracia, Mary
Alessandro, Italy	Trifone
Alexandria, Egypt	Cyril of Alexandria
Alexians	Alexius
Alezio, Italy	Our Lady of the Assumption
Algeria	Cyprian of Carthage
Alpine troops	Maurice
Alpinists	Bernard of Montjoux (or Menthon)
Altar servers	John Berchmans
Amalfi, Italy	Andrew, Apostle
Ambassadors, Argentinian	Gabriel the Archangel
American Indians, Native Americans	Anthony of Padua
Americas	Our Lady of Guadalupe, Rose of Lima
Ammunition/Ordnance /explosive workers	Erasmus (Elmo)
Ancona, Italy	Judas Cyriacus
Andalusia	John of Avila
Anderlecht, Belgium	Guy of Anderlecht
Andorran security forces	Our Lady Help of Christians
Anesthetists	Rene Goupil
Angola	The Most Pure Heart of Mary

Animals	Francis of Assisi, Nicholas of Tolentino
Animals, danger from	Vitus
Animals, domestic	Antony the Abbot
Antioch	Barnabas
Antwerp, Belgium	Walburga
Aosta, Italy	Gratus of Aosta
Apologists	Catherine of Alexandria, Justin Martyr, Thomas Aquinas
Apoplexy (Strokes)	Andrew Avellino
Apostleship of Prayer	Francis Xavier
Apothecaries	Cosmas and Damian
Apprentices	John Bosco
Aquila, Italy	Maximus of Aquila
Arabia	Our Lady of Arabia
Aragon, Spain	Agathoclia, Braulio, George
Archaeologists	Damasus
Archdiocese of Saint Louis, Missouri, USA	Louis IX
Archdiocese of San Francisco, California, USA	Francis of Assisi
Archdiocese of Tuam, Ireland	Jarlath
Archers	Sebastian
Architects	Barbara, Thomas, Apostle
Architects, Italian	Benedict, Abbot
Architects, Spanish	Our Lady of Bethlehem
Argentina	Our Lady of Lujan
Argentinian military chaplains	Our Lady of Lujan
Arizona	Our Lady of the Highways
Arkansas	Our Lady of the Holy Souls
Armenia	Bartholomew, Gregory the Illuminator
Armies	Maurice
Arms dealers	Adrian of Nicomedia
Army of the Andes	Our Lady of Mt. Carmel
Army, Argentinian	Our Lady of Mercy
Army, Ecuadorian	Our Lady of Mercy
Art	Catherine of Bologna
Artillery	Barbara
Artists	Luke, Catherine of Bologna, Bl (Fra) Angelico
Artois region	Isberga
Ascoli Piceno, Italy	Emidius
Asia Minor	John the Apostle
Assisi, Italy	Francis of Assisi
Astronauts	Joseph of Cupertino
Astronomers	Dominic
Asylums (for the mentally ill)	Dymphna
Athletes	Sebastian
Augsburg	Afra, Ulric
Australia	Our Lady Help of Christians
Australian military chaplains	Our Lady Help of Christians
Austria	Joseph, Maurice, Coloman, Leopold, Florian
Authority, persons in	Ferdinand III of Castile
Authors	Francis de Sales
Avenay, Champagne, France	Tressan of Mareuil
Aviators, aviation	Our Lady of Loreto, Therese of Lisieux, Joseph of Cupertino
Avignon	Agricola of Avignon, Benezet
Aynac, France	Genistus
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