Have you ever wondered who your patron saint is? Maybe you've always assumed it's the saint who shares your first name, or perhaps you've never really thought about having a patron saint at all.
For Catholics, the saints aren't distant figures from hundreds of years ago. They are our brothers and sisters in Christ who are already with God, and we can ask them to pray for us and accompany us on our journey of faith. Choosing a patron saint can be a beautiful way of getting to know one particular saint and learning from the way they lived their life for God.
But how do you actually choose one? And what if you don't have a saint's name?
The good news is that there isn't one single way to choose a patron saint. There are lots of different ways you might find yourself drawn to a particular saint.
What Is a Patron Saint?
A patron saint is a saint who is especially connected with a particular person, place, profession, community, cause or activity. Catholics ask patron saints to intercede for them, to pray to God on their behalf.
The saints don't replace God, and Catholics don't worship them. Instead, we honour them as holy men and women who followed Christ and ask them to pray for us, just as we might ask someone here on earth to pray for us.
A patron saint can also be someone whose life gives us a particular example to follow. Their struggles, virtues, sacrifices and love for God can encourage us when we're facing our own difficulties.
In that sense, having a patron saint can feel like having a heavenly friend whose life reminds you to keep turning towards Christ.
Why Do Catholics Choose Patron Saints?
There are many reasons someone might choose a particular patron saint.
Perhaps the saint shares your name. Perhaps you were born on their feast day. Maybe they are the patron saint of your profession or something you love, or perhaps you've simply read their story and felt an unexpected connection.
Sometimes a saint becomes particularly meaningful during a certain season of life. You might discover a saint while going through a difficult time, beginning a new chapter, discerning your vocation or simply trying to grow closer to God.
There doesn't have to be a complicated reason. Sometimes you simply come across a saint and think, I want to know more about them.
And that can be the beginning of a beautiful devotion.
1. Start With Your Name
One of the simplest places to begin is with your own name.
If you were given the name of a saint, you may naturally consider that saint your patron. Perhaps your parents chose your name specifically because of that saint, or perhaps you discovered your name saint much later in life.
And don't worry if there are several saints who share your name!
For example, someone named Catherine might discover St. Catherine of Siena, St. Catherine of Alexandria or another saint with the same name. You can learn about each of them and see whether one particularly speaks to you.
If your name isn't the name of a saint, don't worry either. You haven't somehow missed out on having a patron saint. There are plenty of other ways to find one.
2. Look at Your Birthday
Another lovely way to discover a patron saint is to look at the saints celebrated on the day you were born.
The Church celebrates the feast days and memorials of saints throughout the year, so there may be one or several saints connected with your birthday.
You might discover a saint you've never heard of before simply by looking up your date of birth.
And sometimes that's where things get interesting. You might read about the saint and discover that their life, struggles or virtues resonate with you in a way you never expected.
You don't have to consider your birthday saint your patron simply because their feast day falls on your birthday. But it can be a beautiful place to start exploring.
3. Think About Your Confirmation Saint
If you chose a Confirmation saint, this may already be someone you consider your patron.
Many Catholics choose a saint for Confirmation because they admire something about that person's life or want their intercession as they continue growing in their faith.
If you chose your Confirmation saint years ago but haven't thought about them for a while, why not revisit their story?
You might be surprised by how differently you see them now compared with when you first chose them.
And if you didn't choose a Confirmation saint, don't worry. There are still plenty of ways to find one.
4. Look at Your Work, Interests and Vocation
Did you know that there are patron saints associated with countless professions, activities and causes?
There are saints connected with doctors, teachers, students, musicians, artists, workers, travellers, families and many other areas of life.
Perhaps you're a musician and feel drawn to St. Cecilia. Maybe you're a student who finds inspiration in St. Thomas Aquinas. Perhaps you're a mother, a teacher, an artist or someone working in a particular profession and discover a saint connected with that part of your life.
Your patron saint doesn't have to be connected to your job, either.
Think about the things you love, your hobbies, your talents and the parts of your life that are important to you. There may be a saint whose story connects with them in some way.
5. Think About Your Heritage
Our faith is universal, but our individual backgrounds are part of the stories God has given us.
You might feel particularly connected to a saint because of your family's heritage or the country, city or community you come from.
Many countries, cities and places have patron saints, and discovering the saints connected with your family's history can be a wonderful way of learning more about both your heritage and your faith.
You may even discover a saint you had never heard of before.
6. Find a Saint Who Understands Your Struggles
Sometimes we find a patron saint during a difficult season of life.
There are saints associated with particular illnesses, causes, family difficulties, occupations and struggles. Some saints experienced suffering, loss, loneliness, persecution, conversion or other challenges that can make their stories particularly meaningful to us.
St. Monica, for example, spent many years praying for the conversion of her son, St. Augustine. St. Rita is traditionally associated with difficult and seemingly impossible situations. St. Thérèse of Lisieux shows us how holiness can be found in the small, ordinary things we do with love.
Learning about a saint who experienced something that feels familiar to you can remind you that you aren't the first person to struggle, and that holiness doesn't require a life without difficulties.
7. Sometimes You Just Feel Drawn to a Saint
Not every patron saint has to be chosen because of a neat connection.
Sometimes you simply encounter a saint and feel drawn to them.
Maybe you hear their name during Mass. Perhaps someone gives you a holy card with their image on it. You might read their story in a book, come across their feast day or visit a church dedicated to them.
Something about their life may stay with you.
If that happens, take the time to learn more.
Read about their life. Find out what they struggled with. Learn about their virtues. Read their writings if any survive. Look at how they followed Christ.
You don't have to rush into deciding, This is definitely my patron saint.
Simply getting to know the saints can be a beautiful part of your faith.
8. Pray About It
Most importantly, pray.
Ask God to guide you towards a saint who can help you grow closer to Him. Ask the Holy Spirit to guide you as you learn about different saints.
You could pray something as simple as:
"Lord, please lead me to the saint whose example and prayers will help me grow closer to You. Help me to learn from their life and to follow their example. Amen."
Then pay attention to the saints you encounter.
You may notice the same saint appearing repeatedly in your life. You may keep hearing their name, reading about them or coming across their image.
That doesn't mean every coincidence is necessarily a supernatural sign, but sometimes these little encounters can encourage us to stop and learn more.
And prayer doesn't have to end once you've found a saint. Ask for their intercession, thank God for their example and bring your intentions to them.
Can You Have More Than One Patron Saint?
Absolutely.
There is no need to feel as though you have to choose just one saint for your entire life.
You might have a saint connected with your name, another connected with your Confirmation, another whose life inspires you, and another who has become particularly meaningful during a certain season of your life.
You can also ask different saints to intercede for different intentions.
The communion of saints is a beautiful reminder that the Church is much bigger than what we can see. We are surrounded by countless holy men and women who lived lives of faith, courage, love and perseverance.
So why limit yourself to one heavenly friend?
What If I Don't Have a Patron Saint?
If you've got this far and you're thinking, I've never chosen one!, don't worry.
There is no need to panic or feel as though you've somehow missed an important Catholic requirement.
Perhaps you've got a name saint but never developed a devotion to them. Perhaps you don't have a saint's name at all. Maybe you chose a Confirmation saint years ago but no longer feel particularly connected to them.
That's okay.
You can begin now.
Take some time to explore the lives of the saints. Look at your name, your birthday, your interests, your vocation, your heritage and the things you're currently going through.
Most importantly, pray.
You might discover that the saint you've been looking for has been waiting to be discovered all along.
Getting to Know Your Patron Saint
Once you've found a saint you feel particularly connected to, don't stop at simply knowing their name.
Get to know them.
Read their story. Learn about the time they lived in and the challenges they faced. Discover their virtues and the ways they served God.
Find out their feast day and perhaps make a little tradition of celebrating it each year.
You could keep a prayer card or medal of your patron saint somewhere you'll see it regularly. You might even choose a Rosary featuring their image or medal as a reminder to ask for their intercession during your prayers.
And most importantly, remember that the purpose of devotion to the saints is always to bring us closer to Christ.
The saints point beyond themselves towards God.
Your Patron Saint Is a Friend Who Points You Towards Christ
Choosing a patron saint isn't about finding someone who will magically solve our problems.
It's about friendship, prayer and inspiration.
The saints were real people who lived real lives. They experienced joy and suffering, success and failure, uncertainty and perseverance. Yet through it all, they sought to love God and follow Christ.
Their lives can remind us that holiness isn't reserved for a select few.
So if you don't have a patron saint yet, why not start looking?
Look at your name. Check your birthday. Think about your vocation, your interests and your heritage. Read the lives of the saints. And above all, pray.
You never know which saint might become one of your closest heavenly friends.
Do you have a patron saint? Is it your name saint, your Confirmation saint, or someone you chose later in life? I'd love to know who your patron saint is and why you feel connected to them.
God Bless,
Beatriz.
Founder of By Bea Rosaries
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