History of patron saint
Patron saints of places
Francis Solanus
Laura Vicuña
Martin of Tours
Bartholomew the Apostle
Jude the Apostle
Mesrop Mashtots
Saint Paisios of Mount Athos
Mary of the Cross MacKillop
Colman of Stockerau
Florian
Leopold the Good
Maurice
Severinus of Noricum
Vergilius of Salzburg
The Virgin Mary
Elisæus of Albania
The Virgin Mary, Protector of Caucasus
John of Baku
Euphrosyne of Polotsk
The Virgin Mary (as Our Lady of Aparecida)
Peter of Alcantara
Joseph of Anchieta
John of Rila
Joseph
Anne
Saint George
the Canadian Martyrs[5
Patron Saints
Please help support the mission of New Advent and get the full contents of this website as an instant download. Includes the Catholic Encyclopedia, Church Fathers, Summa, Bible and more &#; all for only $
A patron is one who has been assigned by a venerable tradition, or chosen by election, as a special intercessor with God and the proper advocate of a particular locality, and is honoured by clergy and people with a special form of religious observance. The term "patron", being wider in its meaning than that of "titular", may be applied to a church, a district, a country, or a corporation. The word "titular" is applied only to the patron of a church or institution. Both the one and the other, according to the legislation now in force, must have the rank of a canonizedsaint.
Patrons of Churches
Origin
During the first three centuries of the Church's history, the faithful assembled for worship in private houses, in cemeteries, or other retired places. At intervals it had been possible to erect or adapt buildings for the sacred rites of religion. Such buildings, however, were not dedicated to the saints, but were spoken of as the House of God, the House of Prayer, and sometimes as the Temple of God. They were also known as Kyriaca, Dominica, or Oratoria. Larger structures received the name of basilicas, and the term church (ecclesia) was constantly employed to designate the place where the faithful assembled to hear the word of God and partake of the sacraments. After peace had been given to the Church by Constantine, sacred edifices were freely erected, the emperor setting the example by the character and magnificence of his own foundations. The Christians had always held in deep reverence the memory of the heroes who had sealed with blood the profession of their faith. The celebration of the solemn rites had long been intimately associated with the places where the bodies of the martyrs reposed, and the choice of sites for the new edif
What are patron saints?
Answer
In Catholic thinking, a saintis a deceased individual who, having achieved sanctification and a notable degree of holiness, is officially declared an intercessor to whom the living may pray. A patron saint is a saint who is looked to for protection and intercession by a person, a guild, or a place. For example, the patron saint of Madagascar is St. Vincent de Paul, and the patron saint of pastry makers is St. Honoratus of Amiens.
The Catholic teaching on sainthood conflicts with the Bible’s definition of saint. According to the Bible, a saint is anyone who has come to faith in Christ and is thereby made righteous. Although Christians should live “saintly” lives, even saints can fail to do so at times. Paul refers to the Corinthian believers as “saints” in 1 Corinthians (NASB and ESV). As you read 1 Corinthians, you will find that the people were not acting very “saintly,” and Paul has to chastise them. They were not living up to their position as saints in Christ, but they were saints nonetheless. There is no such thing as a “patron saint” to whom one prays in the Bible.
In Roman Catholic theology, no one can be absolutely sure of his eternal destiny, for even the best of men may commit a mortal sin and die outside of grace. To speak of assurance of salvation is considered the sin of presumption. However, there are some people who have lived such exemplary lives that the Church is confident of their eternal destiny and so “canonizes” them—officially recognizes them as saints. According to Catholic doctrine, these saints not only have enough righteousness for themselves, but they have excess righteousness that can be used to make up some of the deficiencies of their fellow human beings.
In Roman Catholic practice, one can pray to or request help from a saint. Since the petitioner might not be righteous enough to get direct help from God the Father or from Christ, he or she can pray to a saint who will then take the r
Patron saint
Saint regarded as a heavenly advocate
For the racehorse, see Patron Saint (horse).
A patron saint, patroness saint, patron hallow or heavenly protector is a saint who in Catholicism, Anglicanism, Eastern Orthodoxy or Oriental Orthodoxy is regarded as the heavenly advocate of a nation, place, craft, activity, class, clan, family, or person.
The term may be applied to individuals to whom similar roles are ascribed in other religions.
In Christianity
Saints often become the patrons of places where they were born or had been active. However, there were cases in medieval Europe where a city which grew to prominence obtained for its cathedral the remains or some relics of a famous saint who had lived and was buried elsewhere, thus making them the city's patron saint – such a practice conferred considerable prestige on the city concerned. In Latin America and the Philippines, Spanish and Portuguese explorers often named a location for the saint on whose feast or commemoration day they first visited the place, with that saint naturally becoming the area's patron.
Occupations sometimes have a patron saint who had been connected somewhat with it, although some of the connections were tenuous. Lacking such a saint, an occupation would have a patron whose acts or miracles in some way recall the profession. For example, when the previously unknown occupation of photography appeared in the 19th century, Saint Veronica was made its patron, owing to how her veil miraculously received the imprint of Christ's face after she wiped off the blood and sweat.
The veneration or commemoration and recognition of patron saints or saints in general is found in Catholicism (including Eastern Catholicism), Eastern Orthodoxy, Oriental Orthodoxy, and among some Lutherans and Anglicans. According to the Catholic catechism a person's patron saint, having