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.
P
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| Painters |
Luke, Bl (Fra) Angelico |
| Pakistan |
Thomas, Apostle |
| Palermo, Italy |
Agatha, Benedict the Black |
| Palestine |
Mary, 'Queen of Palestine' |
| Palestinian Christians |
George |
| Pallbearers |
Joseph of Arimathea |
| Panama |
Immaculate Conception, Immaculate Heart of Mary |
| Papua New Guinea |
Michael the Archangel |
| Paraguay |
Our Lady of the Assumption, Our Lady of Lujan |
| Paratroopers |
Michael the Archangel |
| Parenthood |
Rita of Cascia |
| Paris, France |
Genevieve (Genofeva), Denis, Bishop of Paris |
| Parish Missions |
Leonard of Port Maurice |
| Park-keepers |
John Gualbert |
| Patras, Greece |
Andrew, Apostle |
| Patricia, Italy |
Roch |
| Pavia, Italy |
Siro, Syrus of Pavia, Theodore of Pavia |
| Pawnbrokers |
Nicholas of Myra, Bernardino of Feltre (Bd) |
| Pelota players, Argentinian |
Francis Xavier |
| Pennsylvania, USA |
Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal |
| Pensioners, old age |
Our Lady of Consolation, Teresa of Jesus Jornet e Ibars |
| Penzance, Cornwall, England |
John the Baptist |
| Perfumers, perfumiers |
Nicholas of Myra |
| Pergamino, Argentina |
Virgin of La Merced |
| Peronne, France |
Fursey of Peronne |
| Persecuted Christians |
John De Martha |
| Persia; Iran |
Maruthas |
| Peru |
Joseph, Rose of Lima |
| Pestilence (relief) |
Roch |
| Petit Goave, Haiti |
Our Lady of Lourdes |
| Pets |
Antony the Abbot |
| Pharmacists/Druggists |
Cosmas and Damian, Raphael the Archangel |
| Philatelists |
Gabriel the Archangel |
| Philippines |
Our Lady of Safe Travel, Our Lady of the Turumba, Rose of Lima, Immaculate Heart of Mary |
| Philosophers |
Immaculate Conception of Mary, Pudentiana, Rose of Lima |
| Physically Disabled |
Giles |
| Physicians |
Cosmas and Damian, Luke, Pantaleon |
| Physicians (diseases, contagious) |
Roch, Sebastian |
| Piedmont |
Maurice |
| Piedmont region |
Maurice |
| Pilgrims |
Nicholas of Myra, Christopher |
| Pilgrims (sick) |
Pius X |
| Pilots |
Our Lady of Loreto |
| Pilots, maritime |
Francis of Paola, Nicholas of Myra |
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| Pisa, Italy |
Ranieri |
| Plague |
Gregory the Great, Roch, Sebastian |
| Plasterers |
Bartholomew |
| Poets |
David, Columba |
| Poison Sufferers |
Benedict, Abbot, John the Apostle, Pirminus |
| Poland |
Casimir, Florian, Mary, 'Queen of Poland', Stanislaus, Adalbert, Stanislaus Kostka |
| Police officers |
Michael the Archangel |
| Police, Italian |
Mary, Faithful Virgin |
| Police, Spanish |
Our Lady of the Pillar |
| Police, Spanish, armed |
The Guardian Angels |
| Police, local, municipal |
Sebastian |
| Ponza, Italy |
Silverio |
| Poor |
Anthony of Padua, Lawrence, Ferdinand III of Castile |
| Popes |
Gertrude the Great, Peter the Apostle |
| Portsmouth, England |
Nicholas of Myra |
| Portugal |
Anthony of Padua, Francis Borgia, Gabriel the Archangel, George, Immaculate Conception of Mary |
| Possession (by the Devil) |
Cyriacus, Dymphna, Michael the Archangel, Andrew Avellino |
| Postal services |
Gabriel the Archangel |
| Postal workers |
Gabriel the Archangel |
| Potenza, Italy |
Gerard of Potenza |
| Potholers (spelunkers) |
Benedict, Abbot |
| Poznan Poland |
Paul, Apostle, Peter the Apostle |
| Preachers |
Catherine of Alexandria, John Chrysostom |
| Pregnant women |
Gerard Majella, Margaret (or Marina) of Antioch, Raymond Nonnatus |
| Priests |
John Vianney |
| Priests (Spanish, secular) |
John of Avila |
| Printers |
Augustine, Genesius, John of God |
| Prison guards, officers |
Hippolytus, Processus and Martinian, Adrian of Nicomedia |
| Prison officers (Italian) |
Basilides |
| Prisoners |
Dismas, Leonard of Noblac, Roch, Vincent de Paul, Ferdinand III of Castile |
| Prisoners (Italian) |
Joseph Cafasso |
| Probus, Cornwall, England |
Grace, Probus |
| Propagation of the Faith |
Francis Xavier |
| Protector of Crops |
Ansovinus |
| Prussia |
Dorothy of Montau |
| Public Health Service |
Martin de Porres |
| Public Relations |
Bernardine of Siena |
| Public education |
Martin de Porres |
| Puebla, Mexico |
Michael the Archangel |
| Pueri Cantores |
Dominic Savio |
| Pueri Cantors |
Dominic Savio |
| Puerto Rico |
Our Lady of Divine Providence |
| Puerto Vallarta, Mexico |
Our Lady of Guadalupe |
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