Saint Quentin is the patron saint of locksmiths and is also invoked against coughs and sneezes.

In those denominations of Christianity which believe in the intercession of saints, the patron saint of a particular group of people is a saint who has special affinity for that group and its members. Prayers by such people are considered more likely to be answered by their patron saint. Some consider it a special devotion to God by displaying humility in asking a saint for intercession rather than expecting to be answered themselves, calling to mind Job 42:8, which implies God's favour to the virtuous. Image File history File links Quentin_martyrdom. ... Image File history File links Quentin_martyrdom. ... Places called Saint-Quentin include: Saint-Quentin, Aisne, Picardie, France Saint-Quentin, New Brunswick, Canada Saint-Quentin is part of the name of several places, including: Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines, a new town and communauté dagglomération in the French département of Yvelines Saint-Quentin is part of... Locksmithing is the science and art of making and defeating locks. ... Christianity percentage by country, purple is highest, orange is lowest Topics in Christianity Movements · Denominations Ecumenism · Preaching · Prayer Music · Liturgy · Calendar Symbols · Art · Criticism Important figures Apostle Paul · Church Fathers Constantine · Athanasius · Augustine Anselm · Aquinas · Palamas · Wycliffe Tyndale · Luther · Calvin · Wesley Arius · Marcion of Sinope Pope · Archbishop of Canterbury Patriarch... Intercession of the saints is a Christian doctrine common to the Catholic and Orthodox Churches. ... In traditional Christian iconography, Saints are often depicted as having halos. ...

Known saints

For example, Saint Christopher is generally thought of as the patron saint of travelers (although he has been removed from the Calendar of Saints by the Roman Catholic Church due to the lack of historical proof that such a person existed). Saint Patrick is the patron saint of Ireland and the Irish, as well as of the profession of engineering, and Saint James the Great is the patron of rheumatics and of Spain. Eastern Orthodoxy generally similarly associates saints with places, occupations and activities, but to a much lesser degree, and usually that association takes place locally. The "Three Hierarchs", for instance (Basil the Great, Gregory of Nazianzus and John Chrysostom), are the traditional patron saints of education in the Orthodox world, St. Nicholas the patron saint of Russia, St. Demetrius the patron saint of the city of Thessaloníki, etc. Association with a particular area or profession can be found with tutelary deities from other religions as well. For other uses, see Saint Christopher (disambiguation). ... Topics in Christianity Movements · Denominations Ecumenism · Preaching · Prayer Music · Liturgy · Calendar Symbols · Art · Criticism Important figures Apostle Paul · Church Fathers Constantine · Athanasius · Augustine Anselm · Aquinas · Palamas · Luther Calvin · Wesley Arius · Marcion of Sinope Pope · Archbishop of Canterbury Patriarch of Constantinople Christianity Portal This box:      The Roman Catholic Church or Catholic... For information about the holiday, see: Saint Patricks Day Saint Patrick (Latin: [2], Irish: Naomh Pádraig) was a Christian missionary and is the patron saint of Ireland along with Brigid of Kildare and Columba. ... Saint James the Great (d. ... Rheumatism or Rheumatic disorder is a non-specific term for medical problems affecting the heart, bones, joints, kidney, skin and lung. ... ... Basil (ca. ... Saint Gregory of Nazianzus (329 - January 25, 389), also known as Saint Gregory the Theologian or Gregory Nazianzen was a 4th century Christian bishop of Constantinople. ... John Chrysostom (349– ca. ... Saint Nicholas, also known as Nikolaus in Germany and Sinterklaas (a contracted form of Sint Nicolaas) in the Netherlands and Flanders, is the common name for the historical Saint Nicholas of Myra, who lived in 4th century Byzantine Anatolia, (now in modern Turkey) and had a reputation for secret gift... 12th-century mosaic depicting St Demetrios, from the Golden-Roofed Monastery in Kiev. ... Thessaloníki (Θεσσαλονίκη; pronounced IPA /θɛ.sa. ... A tutelary spirit is a god, usually a minor god, who serves as the guardian or watcher over a particular site, person, or nation. ...

The feast day associated with a saint is often marked by those who have the saint as patron; this is especially the case with a national patron, whose feast day may be a public holiday. In some cases the celestial patronage is not assigned to a canonised person, but to a liturgical feast and/or (often associated) aspect of God or the Virgin Mary which is held in similar reverence (though unlike a saint it cannot actually intercede with God), such as: The calendar of saints is a traditional Christian method of organising a liturgical year on the level of days by associating each day with a saint, and referring to the day as the saints day of that saint. ... The word holiday has related but different meanings in English-speaking countries, with the exception of the United States where usage differs greatly. ...

• Transfiguration of Our Lord
• Sacred Heart of Jesus

Certain patron saints have only a nominal relationship with the trade or group that they represent, as is the case with Saint George of England. Saint Fiacre is the patron saint of taxi drivers, supposedly because the first hansom cabs in Paris were hired outside the Hotel Saint-Fiacre and, indeed, were known as fiacres. The upper part of The Transfiguration (1520) by Raphael, depicting Christ miraculously discoursing with Moses and Elijah The word Transfiguration means a changing of appearance or form. ... Typical illustration of the Sacred Heart of Jesus Christ The Sacred Heart is a religious devotion to Jesus physical heart. ... Saint-George is a municipality with 695 inhabitants (as of 2003) in the district of Aubonne in the canton of Vaud, Switzerland. ... For other uses, see England (disambiguation). ... Mural depicting Saint Fiacre, in Seville, Andalusia Saint Fiacre (or Fiachra) was born in Ireland in the seventh century. ... Taxicab, short forms taxi or cab, is a type of public transport for a single passenger, or small group of passengers, typically for a non-shared ride. ... A Hansom cab adding character to the filming of a costume drama. ...

Patron god

A counterpart in some polytheistic religions is that of a patron god or a matron goddess. Athena, for example, was the matron goddess of Athens. The most striking difference between patron gods and the Christian concept of saints is that a) saints are/were still human, and if they displayed/ experienced anything supernatural, it was not through their own personal ability; b) sainthood is a title conferred upon an individual, sometimes centuries after their death, rather than assumed simply upon birth, much like Athena. Polytheism is belief in or worship of multiple gods or deities. ... A tutelary spirit or patron god is a god, often a minor god, who serves as the guardian or watcher over a particular site, person, or nation. ... For other uses, see Athena (disambiguation). ... Athens is the largest and the capital city of Greece, located in the Attica periphery. ...

Criticism

Some Christian denominations regard the belief in patron saints as polytheism and heresy. The belief in a patron saint for certain things is a reminder of the pagan gods and goddesses which were condemned by not only Jesus but all the saints of the Bible. In some cases, the practice of praying to these saints instead of directly to Jesus is considered a serious act blasphemy to many Christian denominations.

However, Catholics, Eastern Orthodox Christians and a few other protestant denominations view saints as heroes of virtue and draw inspiration from their lives. Additionally, saints are sometimes considered as people who, while they have passed from this life, are still enjoying the "eternal life" promised by Jesus in the New Testament. As such, they are viewed as current members of the Christian community, rather than former members, and thus are still capable of praying on our behalf. See Intercession // Christianity In Christian practice, intercessory prayer is the act of one person praying for or on behalf of another person or situation. ...

Other uses

"Patron saint" can also be used in a jocular, non-religious sense as a person that serves as an emblem for a certain subject. For instance, the British actor Robert Newton is considered the "patron saint" of pirates by the founders of International Talk Like a Pirate Day, as Newton influenced many modern perceptions of pirates. Robert Newton as Long John Silver. ... The flag of 18th-century pirate Calico Jack Piracy is a robbery committed at sea, or sometimes on the shore, by an agent without a commission from a sovereign nation. ... International Talk Like a Pirate Day (ITLAPD) is a parodic holiday invented in 1995 by John Baur (Ol Chum Bucket) and Mark Summers (Capn Slappy), of the United States, who proclaimed September 19 each year as the day when everyone in the world should talk like a pirate. ...

Lists of patron saints

The Saint Honoré Cake Shop, Hong Kong. Saint Honorius (Honoré) is the patron saint of bakers and confectioners.

• Patron saints of occupations and activities
• Patron saints of ailments, illness and dangers
• Patron saints of places
• Patronage of the Blessed Virgin Mary

Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (2497x1809, 945 KB) . Other versions none File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Patron saint ... Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (2497x1809, 945 KB) . Other versions none File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Patron saint ... Saint Honoratus of Amiens (Honoré, sometimes Honorius, Honortus) (d. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... A list of Patronage of the Blessed Virgin Mary by Occupations & activities, dioceses and other places: [edit] Occupations and activities The Blessed Virgin Mary may be taken as a patroness of any good activity; indeed, she is cited as the patroness of all humanity. ...

See also

• Slava
• List of saints
• Calendar of saints
• Saint symbology

alex (Cyrillic: Слава) is the Orthodox Christian custom of celebrating a family patron saint. ... It has been suggested that List of saints by name:A be merged into this article or section. ... The calendar of saints is a traditional Christian method of organising a liturgical year on the level of days by associating each day with one or more saints, and referring to the day as that saints day. ... Saint symbology was important to people who couldnt read because they can figure out what symbols mean. ...

External links

• Patron Saint Artwork by Sher Chappell
• Catholic Online: Patron Saints
• Catholic Forum: Patron Saints Index