Patron saints are chosen as special protectors or guardians over particular areas, conditions, and situations of life.
From the fourth century, people and churches were named after apostles and martyrs. Recently, the popes have named patron saints but patrons can also be chosen by other individuals or groups. Patron saints are often chosen today because an interest, talent, or an event in their lives corresponds to a situation or area in life today. For example, St. Matthew was a tax collector when he was called by Jesus, and he is therefore the patron saint of accountants. Angels can also be named as patron saints. Patron saints intercede to God for us and help us in various situations and areas of life. They listen to our special needs and pray to God with us. They are also models for us to follow in our professions, vocations, challenges or other situations in life.
For a much more comprehensive list of patron saints and their causes please click on this link: catholicsaints.info
Here is a list of some of the more common patron saints:
CAUSE - SAINT
A
AccountantsSt. Matthew ActorsSt. Genesius AddictsSt. Maximilian Mary Kolbe AdvertisingSt. Bernardine of Siena African-AmericansSt. Benedict (Africa), St. Peter Claver, St. Martin de Porres AIDS patientsSt. Peregrine Laziosi Air travelersSt. Joseph of Cupertino AlcoholicsVenerable Matt Talbot, St. Monica Altar serversSt. John Berchmans AmericasOur Lady of Guadalupe, St. Rose of Lima AnesthetistsSt. Rene Goupil AnimalsSt. Francis of Assisi ArchaeologistsSt. Helen ArchitectsSt. Thomas the Apostle ArtSt. Catharine of Bologna ArtistsSt. Luke, St. Catharine of Bologna, Bl. Fra Angelico AstronautsSt. Joseph of Cupertino AstronomersSt. Dominic AthletesSt. Sebastian AttorneysSt. Thomas More, St. Raymond of Penyafort AuthorsSt. Francis de Sales
B
Bakers St. Elizabeth of Hungary, St. Nicholas Bankers St. Matthew Baptism St. John the Baptist Barbers Sts. Cosmas and Damian, St. Louis of France, St. Martin de Porres Bee keepers St. Ambrose Beggars St. Alexis, St. Giles Blacksmiths St. Dunstan Blind Raphael, St. Lucy Bookkeepers St. Matthew Booksellers St. John of God Boy Scouts St. George Breast disease, against St. Agatha Brewers St. Luke, St. Augustine of Hippo, St. Nicholas Bricklayers St. Stephen Brides St. Nicholas Broadcasters Gabriel Builders St. Barbara, St. Vincent Ferrer Businessmen St. Homobonus Businesswomen St. Margaret Clitherow Butchers St. Anthony the Abbot, St. Luke
C
Cab drivers St. Fiacre Canada St. Joseph Cancer patients St. Peregrine Carpenters St. Joseph Catechists St. Charles Borromeo, St. Robert Bellarmine, St. Viator Catechumens St. Charles Borromeo, St. Robert Bellarmine Catholic schools St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic youth St. Aloysius Gonzaga, St. Maria Goretti Charities St. Vincent de Paul Childbirth St. Gerard Majella, St. Raymond Nonnatus Children St. Nicholas Choirboys St. Dominic Savio Church St. Joseph Civil servants St. Thomas More Colleges St. Thomas Aquinas Comedians St. Vitus Communication workers Gabriel Computers St. Isidore of Seville Construction workers St. Thomas the Apostle Cooks St. Thomas the Apostle, St. Lawrence Court clerks St. Thomas More
D
Dairy workers St. Brigid of Kildare Dancers St. Vitus Deacons St. Stephen Deafness St. Francis de Sales Death St. Joseph, Michael, Gabriel and Raphael Dentists St. Apollonia Desperate causes St. Jude Difficult marriages St. Rita of Cascia Disabled St. Giles Disasters St. Genevieve Doctors St. Luke Dogs St. Roch Drivers St. Fiacre Drug addiction St. Maximilian Mary Kolbe
E
Earaches St. Polycarp Earthquakes St. Francis Borgia Ecology St. Francis of Assisi Editors St. John Bosco Engineers St. Patrick, St. Ferdinand III Epilepsy St. Dymphna, St. Vitus, St. Willibrord Europe St. Benedict, St. Bridget, St. Catherine of Siena Eye disorders St. Clare, St. Lucy
F
Falsely accused St. Raymond Nonnatus Farmers St. Isidore the Farmer Fathers St. Joseph Firefighters St. Florian, St. John of God Fishermen St. Andrew, St. Peter Florists St. Thérèse of Lisieux, St. Rose of Lima, St. Dorothy Foundry workers St. Agatha Funeral directors St. Joan of Arc
G
Gambling, compulsive St. Bernardine of Siena Gardeners St. Adelard, St. Fiacre Girls St. Agnes, St. Maria Goretti Grandparents Sts. Ann and Joachim Gravediggers St. Anthony the Abbot Greetings St. Valentine Grocers Michael, Gabriel and Raphael Grooms St. Louis of France, St. Nicholas
H
Hairdressers St. Martin de Porres Happy death St. Joseph Headaches St. Teresa of Avila Heart patients St. John of God Homeless St. Benedict Joseph Labre Horses St. Martin of Tours Hospital administrators St. Frances Xavier Cabrini Hospitals St. Camillus de Lellis, St. John of God Hotel keepers St. Amand Housewives Sts. Ann and Joachim, St. Martha Hunters St. Hubert, St. Eustachius
I
Immigrants St. Frances Xavier Cabrini Impossible causes St. Frances Xavier Cabrini, St. Rita of Cascia Infertility St. Rita of Cascia, St. Philomena Insanity St. Dymphna Internet St. Isidore of Seville Invalids St. Roch
J
Jewelers St. Eligius Journalists St. Francis de Sales Judges St. John of Capistrano Juvenile delinquents St. Dominic Savio
K
Kidney disease St. Benedict Knee problems St. Roch
L
Laborers St. Isidore the Farmer, St. James the Greater Latin America St. Rose of Lima Lawyers St. Thomas More, St. Raymond of Penyafort Learning St. Ambrose Librarians St. Jerome Lithuania St. Casimir Longevity St. Peter Loss of parents St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Lost items St. Anthony of Padua Lovers St. Valentine
M
Maids, domestic workers St. Zita of Lucca Married women St. Monica Medical technicians St. Albert the Great Mentally ill St. Dymphna Merchants St. Francis of Assisi, St. Nicholas Messengers Gabriel Metal workers St. Eligius Mexico Our Lady of Guadalupe Midwives St. Raymond Nonnatus Military members St. Joan of Arc Miscarriage, prevention of St. Catherine of Sweden Missionaries St. Francis Xavier, St. Thérèse of Lisieux Monks St. John the Baptist Mothers St. Monica Motorists St. Frances of Rome Musicians St. Cecilia Mystics St. John of the Cross
N
Neurological diseases St. Dymphna North America St. Isaac Jogues, John de Brébeuf and Companions Notaries St. Luke, St. Mark Nuns St. Scholastica, St. Brigid of Kildare Nurses St. Camillus de Lellis, St. John of God, St. Agatha
O
Obstetricians St. Raymond Nonnatus Orators St. John Chrysostom Orphans, abandoned children St. Jerome Emiliani
P
Painters St. Luke Paralysis St. Osmund Parenthood St. Rita of Cascia Parish priests St. John Vianney Pawnbrokers St. Nicholas Penitents St. Mary Magdalene Perfumers St. Mary Magdalene Pharmacists Sts. Cosmas and Damian Philosophers St. Catherine of Alexandria, St. Albert the Great Physicians St. Luke, Sts. Cosmas and Damian Pilots St. Joseph of Cupertino, St. Thérèse of Lisieux Poets St. Columba, St. David of Wales Poisoning St. Benedict Poland St. Casimir, St. Florian, St. Stanislaus Police officers St. Michael Politicians, public servants St. Thomas More Poor St. Anthony of Padua, St. Lawrence Popes St. Peter Postal workers Gabriel Preachers St. John Chrysostom Pregnant women Sts. Ann and Joachim, St. Gerard Majella, St. Margaret Priests St. John Vianney Printers St. Augustine, St. John of God Prisoners St. Dismas, St. Joseph Cafasso Public relations St. Bernardine of Siena
R
Race relations St. Martin de Porres Radio Gabriel Radiologists Michael, Gabriel and Raphael Reconciliation St. Vincent Ferrer Retreats St. Ignatius of Loyola Rheumatism St. James the Greater Robbers, danger from St. Leonard of Noblac Rome St. Peter
S
Sailors St. Elmo, St. Brendan, St. Francis of Paola Savings St. Anthony Claret Scholars St. Brigid of Kildare, St. Bede the Venerable Schoolchildren St. Benedict Schools St. Thomas Aquinas Scientists St. Albert the Great Sculptors St. Claude Secretaries St. Genesius Seminarians St. Charles Borromeo Servants St. Sava, St. Zita of Lucca Shepherds St. Marie Bernadette Soubirous, St. Paschal Baylon Sick St. John of God Skin diseases St. Anthony the Abbot, St. Anthony the Abbot Sobriety Venerable Matt Talbot Social justice St. Joseph, St. Martin de Porres Social workers St. Louise de Marillac Soldiers St. George, St. Martin of Tours South America St. Rose of Lima Speakers St. John Chrysostom Stomach disorders Sts. Timothy and Titus Students St. Catherine of Alexandria, St. Thomas Aquinas Surgeons Sts. Cosmas and Damian, St. Luke
T
Tailors St. Homobonus Tax collectors St. Matthew Taxi drivers St. Fiacre Teachers St. Gregory the Great, St. John Baptist de la Salle Teenagers St. Aloysius Gonzaga, St. Maria Goretti Telecommunications Gabriel Television St. Clare Theatrical performers St. Genesius Theologians St. Alphonsus Liguori, St. Augustine of Hippo Throat ailments St. Blase Toothache St. Apollonia Travelers St. Anthony of Padua, St. Nicholas, St. Joseph, Raphael
U
Undertakers Sts. Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus United States Feast of the Immaculate Conception Universal Church St. Joseph
V
Venereal disease St. Fiacre Veterinarians St. Eligius Vintners St. Amand Vocations St. Alphonsus Liguori
W
Waiters, waitresses St. Martha Weavers St. Anthony Claret Widows St. Frances of Rome, St. Paula Women in labor Sts. Ann and Joachim, St. Elmo Workers St. Joseph Writers St. Francis de Sales
Y
Youth St. Aloysius Gonzaga, St. Maria Goretti, St. John Bosco