Patron saints are selected from the roster of recognized saints of the Catholic Church as special protectors or guardians over a specific activity or facet of life. They may include occupations, illnesses, churches, countries, causes. The first evidence of naming patron saints comes from the 4th century where churches were named after apostles and martyrs. In recent times patron saints are named by the pope, but any group or even an individual may select one.
The practice is to appeal to the saint for help and intercession and the area of his specialization. Listed below are a few patron saints and the area of their expertise.
Some of the brethren and sistren at E2 have suggested that the Saints be hardlinked. Yes, it would be nice, but it's really a formidable job. I haven't counted them, but I suspect there must be a couple hundred of them here -- at least. In addition, if I used zen noding, you would be disappointed more than half the time linking to non-existent nodes. If I checked for links before creating them, I would do nothing else for perhaps a week. E2 is like academe, there is always the press to publish, publish! I do promise I'll start linking the Saints on off moments when I need a little entertainment.
A
- Abdominal pains
- Erasmus (Elmo)
- Accountants
- Matthew
- Accused (falsely)
- Raymond Nonnatus
- Actors
- Genesius, Vitus
- Advertisers, advertising
- Bernardine of Siena
- Air travelers
- Joseph of Cupertino
- Altar servers
- John Berchmans
- Americas
- Our Lady of Guadalupe, Rose of Lima
- Animals
- Francis of Assisi, Nicholas of Tolentino
- Archers
- Sebastian
- Arms dealers
- Adrian of Nicomedia
- Artists
- Luke, Catherine of Bologna, Bl (Fra) Angelico
- Astronauts
- Joseph of Cupertino
- Asylums (for the mentally ill)
- Dymphna
- Athletes
- Sebastian
B
- Bakers
- Elizabeth of Hungary, Nicholas of Myra, Honoratus
- Barbers
- Cosmas and Damian, Louis, Martin de Porres
- Barren women
- Anthony of Padua, Felicity
- Beggars
- Alexius, Martin of Tours, Giles
- Birds
- Gall
- Blind people
- Raphael the Archangel, Thomas, Apostle, Cosmas and Damian, Lucy
- Book trade
- John of God
- Boy Scouts
- George
- Brewers
- Augustine of Hippo, Luke, Nicholas of Myra, Amand, Wenceslaus (and see Patron Saints of Beer)
- Brides
- Nicholas of Myra
- Broadcasters
- Gabriel the Archangel
- Businesswomen
- Margaret of Clitherow
C
- Cab drivers
- Fiacre
- Canada
- Anne (Mother of Mary), Joseph
- Cancer
- Saint Peregrine
- Carpenters
- Joseph, Thomas, Apostle
- Cattle
- Roch
- Chemists (pharmacists)
- Cosmas and Damian
- Childbirth
- Gerard Majella, Margaret (or Marina) of Antioch, Raymond Nonnatus, Leonard of Noblac, Erasmus (Elmo)
- Childless women
- Anne (Mother of Mary)
- Children, illegitimate
- John Francis Regis
- Church
- Joseph
- Coffin-bearers
- Joseph of Arimathea
- Communication Workers
- Gabriel the Archangel
- Construction workers
- Thomas, Apostle
- Contagious diseases
- Roch, Sebastian
- Cooks
- Martha
D
- Dairy workers
- Bridgid of Ireland
- Dancers
- Vitus
- Death, happy
- Joseph
- Dentists
- Apollonia
- Desperate situations
- Jude, Gregory the Wonderworker, Rita of Cascia, Eustace
- Diabolical possession
- Cyriacus, Dymphna
- Difficult situations
- Eustace
- Diseases, nervous
- Dymphna, Vitus
- Doctors
- Luke, Cosmas and Damian, Pantaleon
- Dying
- Joseph, Benedict, Abbot, James the Lesser, Apostle, Lebuin (Liafwine), Maximus, Nicholas of Tolentino
E
- Earthquakes
- Emygdius, Francis Borgia, Gregory the Wonderworker
- Ecologists, ecology
- Francis of Assisi
- Eczema
- Antony the Abbot
- Editors
- John Bosco, Francis de Sales
- Emigrants
- Frances Xavier Cabrini
- England
- George, Michael the Archangel
- Examination candidates
- Joseph of Cupertino
F
- Farmers
- Isidore the Farmer
- Firemen
- Florian, John of God
- Flight crew
- Mary, Our Lady of Loreto
- Florists, flower growers
- Therese of Lisieux, Rose of Lima, Bl. Rose of Viterbo
- Funeral directors
- Joseph of Arimathea
G
- Garage, or gas station workers
- Eligius (Eloi)
- Gardeners
- Adelard, Fiacre, Rose of Lima, Adam
- Girls
- Agnes, Maria Goretti
- Golden-Toungued orator
- Peter Chrysologus
- Gravediggers
- Anthony the Abbot, Joseph of Arimathea
- Grocers
- Michael the Archangel
- Gunners
- Barbara
H
- for hemorrhoid sufferers
- Fiacre
- Hairdressers
- Martin de Porres, Cosmas and Damian
- Headaches
- Teresa of Avila, Denis, Bishop of Paris
- Health inspectors
- Raphael the Archangel
- Heart patients
- John of God
- Hernia sufferers
- Cathal
- Hoarseness
- Bernardine of Siena
- Hopeless (or desperate) cases
- Jude, Rita of Cascia, Gregory the Wonderworker
- Horticulturalists
- Adam, Fiacre
- Hospitals
- Camillus de Lellis, John of God, Vincent de Paul
- Hotelkeepers
- Amand
- House hunting
- Joseph
- Housewives
- Anne (Mother of Mary), Martha
- Hydrophobia, or rabies
- Hubert, Ubald
I
- Illness (mental)
- Dymphna
- Immigrants
- Frances Xavier Cabrini
- Impossible Cases
- Rita of Cascia
- Infertility
- Rita of Cascia
- Information Workers
- Archangel Gabriel
- Innocent people (falsely accused)
- Raymond Nonnatus
- Insanity
- Dymphna
- Invalids
- Roch
- Ireland
- Patrick, Columba, Bridgid of Ireland
J-K
- Journalists
- Francis de Sales
- Justice, social
- Martin de Porres
- Juvenile delinquents
- Dominic Savio
L
- Laborers
- Isidore the Farmer, James the Greater
- Lame, the
- Giles
- Learning
- Ambrose, Catherine of Alexandria
- Lecturers
- Justin Martyr
- Lepers
- Giles
- Librarians, libraries
- Jerome, Catherine of Alexandria
- Lightning, protection against
- Magnus of Fussen, Vitus
- Lost articles
- Anthony of Padua
- Lost or desperate causes
- Jude
- Lovers
- Valentine
M
- Maids
- Zita
- Marriages (unhappy)
- Gengulf
- Married women
- Monica
- Medical profession
- Cosmas and Damian, Luke, Pantaleon
- Medical technicians
- Albert the Great
- Mentally ill
- Dymphna
- Miscarriage prevention
- Catherine of Sweden
- Moral theologians
- Alphonsus de Liguori
- Motorcyclists
- Mary, The Madonna of Castaliazzo or Our Lady of Grace and of Crete
- Motorists
- Frances of Rome, Christopher
- Music, musicians
- Cecilia, Gregory the Great, Dunstan
N
- Nearsightedness, short-sightedness
- Clarus, Abbot
- Neighborhood watch
- Sebastian
- Nervous diseases
- Vitus, Dymphna
- Numismatists
- Eligius (Eloi)
- Nurses
- Agatha, Camillus de Lellis, and John of God
O-Q
- Orphans
- Jerome Emiliani, Ivo of Kermartin
- Painters
- Luke, Bl (Fra) Angelico
- Parenthood
- Rita of Cascia
- Pensioners, old age
- Mary, Our Lady of Consolation, Teresa of Jesus Jornet e Ibars
- Pets
- Antony the Abbot
- Pharmacists/Druggists
- Cosmas and Damian, Raphael the Archangel
- Philatelists
- Gabriel the Archangel
- Philosophers
- Catherine of Alexandria, Justin Martyr, Thomas Aquinas
- Physically Disabled
- Giles
- Physicians
- Cosmas and Damian, Luke, Pantaleon
- Poets
- David, Columba
- Police, local, municipal
- Sebastian
- Poor
- Anthony of Padua, Lawrence, Ferdinand III of Castile
- Possession (by the Devil)
- Cyriacus, Dymphna, Michael the Archangel Andrew Avellino
- Postal workers
- Gabriel the Archangel
- Pregnant women
- Gerard Majella, Margaret (or Marina) of Antioch, Raymond Nonnatus
- Priests
- John Vianney
- Prisoners
- Dismas, Leonard of Noblac, Roch, Vincent de Paul, Ferdinand III of Castile
- Puerto Rico
- Mary, Our Lady of Divine Providence
R-S
- Rabies
- Hubert, Ubald
- Radio and radio workers
- Gabriel the Archangel
- Rain, excessive
- Genevieve (Genofeva)
- Robbers, danger from
- Leonard of Noblac
- Sailors
- Brendan, Erasmus (Elmo), Francis of Paola, Nicholas of Myra
- Scholars
- Bridgid of Ireland, Thomas Aquinas
- School teachers
- John Baptist de la Salle
- Schools
- Thomas Aquinas
- Scientists
- Albert the Great
- Security guards
- Matthew
- Seminarians
- Charles Borromeo
- Senior citizens
- Mary, Our Lady of Consolation, Teresa of Jesus Jornet e lbars
- Sick
- John of God, Camillus de Lellis, Michael the Archangel
- Skin diseases
- Antony the Abbot
- Social justice
- Joseph, Martin de Porres
- Social workers
- Louise de Marillac, John Francis Regis
- Souls in Purgatory
- Nicholas of Tolentino
- Stamp collectors
- Gabriel the Archangel
- Stenographers
- Cassian of Imola
- Stomach disorders
- Timothy, Erasmus (Elmo)
- Storms, protection against
- Vitus
- Students
- Catherine of Alexandria and Thomas Aquinas, Gabriel Possenti
- Students (examinees)
- Joseph of Cupertino
- Students, women
- Catherine of Alexandria
- Surgeons
- Cosmas and Damian, Luke, Roch
T
- Tailors
- Homobonus
- Tax collectors
- Matthew
- Taxi Drivers
- Fiacre
- Teachers
- Gregory the Great, John Baptist de la Salle
- Telecommunications
- Gabriel the Archangel
- Television
- Clare, Gabriel the Archangel
- {Theater|Theatrical profession]
- Genesius
- Theft, thieves
- Dismas
- Theologians
- Alphonsus Liguori, Augustine of Hippo
- Thieves, danger from
- Leonard of Noblac
- Throat ailments
- Blaise, Lucy
- Toothache
- Apollonia
- Travelers
- Raphael the Archangel, Nicholas of Myra, Anthony of Padua, Christopher, Joseph
U-W
- Undertakers
- Dismas
- United States of America
- Immaculate Conception of Mary
- Unmarried women
- Nicholas of Myra
- Veneral disease
- Fiacre
- Vermin, protection from
- Magnus of Fussen
- Veterinarians
- Eligius (Eloi)
- Vintners
- Amand, Morand, and Vincent of Saragossa
- Waiters, waitresses
- Martha
- Wales
- David
- War victims, civilian
- Mary, Queen of Peace
- Widows
- Frances of Rome, Paula
- Women, childless
- Anne (Mother of Mary)
- Women giving birth
- Margaret (or Marina) of Antioch
- Women in labor
- Anne (Mother of Mary), Erasmus (Elmo)
- Workers
- Joseph
- Writers
- Francis de Sales
Y-Z
- Youth
- Aloysius Gonzaga, Maria Goretti, John Berchmans, Gabriel of the Sorrowful Mother, Raphael the Archangel, John Bosco, Stanislaus Kostka
- Young people, students
- John Berchmans, Maria Goretti