Patron saints

Patron saints are chosen as special protectors or guardians over areas of life. These areas can include occupations, illnesses, churches, countries etc., 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. 

AIDS care-givers	Aloysius Gonzaga
AIDS patients	Aloysius Gonzaga, Peregrine Laziosi, Therese of Lisieux
Abandoned children	Ivo of Kermartin, Jerome Emiliani
Abortion	Catherine of Sweden
Academies	Thomas Aquinas
Accountants	Matthew
Accused (falsely)	Raymond Nonnatus
Actors	Genesius, Vitus
Advertisers	Bernardine of Siena
Advocates	Ivo of Kermartin
Air crew	Our Lady of Loreto
Air travelers	Joseph of Cupertino
Alpine troops	Maurice
Alpinists	Bernard of Montjoux (or Menthon)
Altar servers	John Berchmans
Anesthetists	Rene Goupil
Animals	Francis of Assisi, Nicholas of Tolentino
Apologists	Catherine of Alexandria, Justin Martyr, Thomas Aquinas
Apothecaries	Cosmas and Damian
Apprentices	John Bosco
Archaeologists	Damasus
Archers	Sebastian
Architects	Barbara, Thomas, Apostle
Armies	Maurice
Art	Catherine of Bologna
Artillery	Barbara
Artists	Luke, Catherine of Bologna
Astronauts	Joseph of Cupertino
Astronomers	Dominic
Asylums (mentally ill)	Dymphna
Athletes	Sebastian
Authors	Francis de Sales
Babies, the Holy Innocents	Maximus, Nicholas of Tolentino
Bakers	Elizabeth of Hungary, Nicholas of Myra, Honoratus
Bankers	Matthew, Bernardino of Feltre
Banking	Michael the Archangel
Barbers	Cosmas and Damian, Louis, Martin de Porres
Barrel makers	Abdon and Sennen
Barren women	Anthony of Padua
Basket makers	Antony the Abbot
Battle	Michael the Archangel
Bee Keepers	Ambrose
Beggars	Alexius, Martin of Tours, Giles
Bellmakers	Agatha
Bible scholars	Jerome
Blind people	Raphael the Archangel, Cosmas and Damian, Lucy
Blood banks	Januarius
Blood donors	Our Lady of the Thorns
Book trade	John of God
Bookbinders	Celestine V (pope), John of God
Bookkeepers	Matthew
Booksellers	John of God, Thomas Aquinas
Boy Scouts	George
Boys, young	Dominic Savio
Breast-feeding	Basilissa, Giles
Breast releted diseases	Agata of Cicili
Brides	Nicholas of Myra
Bridges	John Nepomucene
Broadcasters	Gabriel the Archangel
Builders	Vincent Ferrer, Barbara, Thomas, Apostle
Building trade	Stephen
Bursars	Joseph
Business people	Homobonus
Businesswomen	Margaret of Clitherow
Button makers	Louis
Cab drivers	Joseph, Fiacre
Cake makers	Honoratus
Cancer Patients	Michael Argemir
Candle-makers	Ambrose
Canonists	Raymond of Peñafort, Robert Bellarmine, Ivo of Kermartin
Carpenters	Joseph, Thomas, Apostle
Catechists	Viator, Charles Borromeo, Robert Bellarmine
Catechumens	Charles Borromeo, Robert Bellarmine
Catholic Charities	Vincent de Paul, Elizabeth of Hungary
Catholic Writers	Francis de Sales
Catholic Youth	Aloysius Gonzaga
Catholic press	Anthony Mary Claret, Francis de Sales
Catholic schools	Thomas Aquinas, Ursula
Cattle breeders	Mark Cavalry, Martin of Tours
Cemetery keepers	Joseph of Arimathea
Chaplains, military	John of Capistrano
Charitable societies	Vincent de Paul Chemists (pharmacists) Cosmas and Damian
Childless women	Anne (Mother of Mary)
Children	Nicholas of Myra, Raymond Nonnatus, Nicholas of Tolentino
Children, illegitimate	John Francis Regis
Cholera	Roch
Christian Mothers	Anne (Mother of Mary)
Church	Joseph
Civil Servants	Thomas More
Clergy, Parochial	John Vianney
Clerics	Gabriel of Our Lady of Sorrows
Clothworkers	Homobonus
Cobblers	Crispin and Crispinian
Coffin-bearers	Joseph of Arimathea
Coin collectors	Eligius (Eloi)
Colleges	Thomas Aquinas
Comedians	Vitus
Communication	Gabriel the Archangel
Confessors	Alphonsus de Liguori, John Nepomucene
Construction workers	Thomas, Apostle
Contagious diseases	Robert Bellarmine, Sebastian
Cooks	Martha
Court Clerks	Thomas More
Craftsmen	Dymphna
Craftworkers	Luke
Crops, protection of	Magnus of Fussen
Customs officers	Matthew
Cutlers	Lucy
Dairy workers	Bridgid of Ireland
Dancers	Vitus
Deacons	Stephen
Deaf	Francis de Sales
Death	Joseph, the Archangel Michael
Dentists	Apollonia
Diplomatic services	Gabriel the Archangel
Disabled	Giles
Doctors	Luke, Cosmas and Damian, Pantaleon
Domestic workers	Zita
Druggists (pharmacists)	Cosmas and Damian
Ecologists, ecology	Francis of Assisi
Editors	John Bosco, Francis de Sales
Embroiderers	Clare, Parasceva
Emigrants	Frances Xavier Cabrini
Engineers	Benedict, Abbot
Epidemics	Godeberta
Epilepsy	Dymphna, Vitus, Willibrord
Eucharist	Paschal Baylon
Examination	Joseph of Cupertino
Exegetes, scriptural	Jerome
Faculties of law	Raymond of Peñafort
Falsely accused	Raymond Nonnatus
Farm workers	Benedict, Abbot
Farmers	Isidore the Farmer
Fathers	Joseph
First Communicants	Tarcisius
Fishermen	Andrew, Apostle, Peter
Flight attendants	Bona
Flight crew	Our Lady of Loreto
Flower growers	Therese of Lisieux, Rose of Lima
Funeral directors	Joseph of Arimathea
Gardeners	Adelard, Fiacre, Rose of Lima, Adam
Garment workers	Homobonus
Gas station workers	Eligius (Eloi)
Girl Scouts	Agnes of Rome
Girls	Agnes, Maria Goretti
Glassworkers	Luke
Goldsmiths	Dunstan, Anastasius, Eligius (Eloi)
Governors	Ferdinand III of Castile
Greetings	Valentine
Grocers	Michael the Archangel
Gunners	Barbara
Headaches	Teresa of Avila, Denis, Bishop of Paris
Health inspectors	Raphael the Archangel
Health service, public	Martin de Porres
Heart patients	John of God
Highways, motorways	John the Baptist
Horse-riders	Martin of Tours
Hospitals	Camillus de Lellis, John of God, Vincent de Paul
Housewives	Anne (Mother of Mary), Martha
Hunters	Hubert, Eustachius
Immigrants	Frances Xavier Cabrin
Infertility	Rita of Cascia
Information Workers	Archangel Gabriel
Innkeepers	Gentian
Jewelers	Eligius (Eloi)
Journalists	Francis de Sales
Journeys	Christopher
Judges/Jurists	John of Capistrano, Ivo of Kermartin
Justice, social	Martin de Porres
Laborers	Isidore the Farmer, James the Greater Lame Giles
Lawyers	Thomas More
Lay Apostolate	Paul, Apostle
Leatherworkers	Crispin and Crispinian
Lecturers	Justin Martyr
Lepers	Giles
Lost articles	Anthony of Padua
Lovers	Valentine
Magistrates	Ferdinand III of Castile
Maids	Zita
Marble workers	Clement I, Four crowned martyrs, Louis
Mariners	Nicholas of Tolentino
Marines (Italian)	Barbara Marriage, John Francis Regis
Married women	Monica Masons, Thomas, Apostle, Louis
Merchants	Francis of Assisi, Nicholas of Myra, Homobonus
Messengers	Gabriel the Archangel
Metalworkers	Eligius (Eloi)
Midwives	Raymond Nonnatus
Migrants	Frances Xavier Cabrini
Millers	Honoratus
Miners	Anne (Mother of Mary), Barbara
Miscarriage prevention	Catherine of Sweden
Missionary priests	Vincent Pallotti
Missions	Francis Xavier, Peter Claver, Therese of Lisieux
Moral theologians	Alphonsus de Liguori
Mothers	Monica, Gerard Majella, Nicholas of Tolentino
Motorways	John the Baptist
Mountaineers	Bernard of Montjoux (or Menthon)
Music, musicians	Cecilia, Gregory the Great, Dunstan
Naval officers	Francis of Paola
Notaries	Luke, Mark, Ivo of Kermartin
Nurses	Agatha, Camillus de Lellis, John of God
Orators	John Chrysostom
Orphans	Jerome Emiliani, Ivo of Kermartin
Painters	Luke, Bl (Fra) Angelico
Parenthood	Rita of Cascia
Pensioners	Our Lady of Consolation, Teresa of Jesus Jornet e Ibars Philatelists, Gabriel the Archangel
Physicians	Cosmas and Damian, Luke, Pantaleon
Pilgrims	Nicholas of Myra, Christopher
Police officers	Michael the Archangel
Poor	Anthony of Padua, Lawrence, Ferdinand III of Castile
Popes	Gertrude the Great, Peter the Apostle
Postal services	Gabriel the Archangel
Preachers	Catherine of Alexandria, John Chrysostom
Priests	John Vianney
Printers	Augustine, Genesius, John of God
Prisoners	Dismas, Leonard of Noblac, Roch, Vincent de Paul
Radio	Gabriel the Archangel
Rain, excessive	Genevieve (Genofeva)
Retreats	Ignatius of Loyola
Rome	Philip Neri
Rulers	Ferdinand III of Castile
Sailors	Brendan, Erasmus, Francis of Paola, Nicholas of Myra
Savings banks	Anthony Claret Scholars         , Bridgid of Ireland, Thomas Aquinas
School teachers	John Baptist de la Salle
Schools	Thomas Aquinas
Scientists	Albert the Great
Sculptors	Claude, Luke, Four crowned martyrs, Louis
Seminarians	Charles Borromeo
Servants	Zita
Shepherds	Our Lady of Lapurdo, Paschal Baylon
Shoemakers	Cyprian of Carthage, Homobonus
Silversmiths	Andronicus, Eligius (Eloi)
Sleepwalkers	Dymphna
Snake bite victims	Hilary, Pirminus, Vitus
Social justice	Joseph, Martin de Porres
Social workers	Louise de Marillac, John Francis Regis
Soldiers	George, Martin of Tours, Maurice, Sebastian
Speakers (Orators)	John Chrysostom
Spinners	Parasceva
Spiritual directors	Joseph Cafasso
Stamp collectors	Gabriel the Archangel
Stenographers	Cassian of Imola
Students	Thomas Aquinas, Joseph of Cupertino
Surgeons	Cosmas and Damian, Luke, Roch
Surveyors	Thomas, Apostle
Swimmers	Adjutor
Tailors	Homobonus
Tax collectors	Matthew
Taxi Drivers	Fiacre
Teachers	Gregory the Great, John Baptist de la Salle
Telecommunications	Gabriel the Archangel
Theft, thieves	Dismas
Theologians	Alphonsus de Liguori, Augustine of Hippo, Thomas Aquinas, John the Apostle
Universal Church	Joseph, Peter the Apostle
Universities, Catholic	Thomas Aquinas
Vocations	Alphonsus de Liguori
Veterinarians	Our Lady of Coromoto
Waiters	Martha
Weavers	Parasceva, Antony Claret, Maurice, Onuphrius
Widows	Frances of Rome, Paula
Wine merchants	Amand
Workers	Joseph
Writers	Francis de Sales
Youth	Aloysius Gonzaga, Maria Goretti, John Berchmans, Gabriel of Our Lady of Sorrows, Raphael the Archangel, John Bosco, Stanislaus Kostka