Tuesday, March 30, 2010

53 more days...

Our Patron Saints

It's a big and busy world out there. Being that we are traveling to some of the more religious places on earth, it may be wise to brush up on our saints, just in case we need their help.



A little background...
Praying with the Saints


How many saints are there?
There are over 10,000 saints and beati named throughout history, including the Roman Martyology and Orthodox sources. But there is no definitive head-count.





How does the Church choose saints?
Canonization, the process the Church uses to name a saint, has only been used since the tenth century. For hundreds of years before that, starting with the first martyrs of the early Church, saints were chosen by public acclaim. Though this was a more democratic way to recognize saints, some saints' stories were distorted by legend and some never existed. Gradually, the bishops and finally the Vatican took over authority for approving saints.

In 1983, Pope John Paul II made sweeping changes in the canonization procedure. The process begins after the death of a Catholic whom people regard as holy. Often, the process starts many years after death in order give perspective on the candidate. The local bishop investigates the candidate's life and writings for heroic virtue (or martyrdom) and orthodoxy of doctrine. Then a panel of theologians at the Vatican evaluates the candidate. After approval by the panel and cardinals of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints, the pope proclaims the candidate "venerable."


The next step, beatification, requires evidence of one or more miracles (except in the case of martyrs). Since miracles are considered proof that the person is in heaven and can intercede for us, the miracle must take place after the candidate's death and as a result of a specific petition to the candidate. When the pope proclaims the candidate beatified or "blessed," the person can be venerated by a particular region or group of people with whom the person holds special importance.


Only after one more miracle will the pope canonize the saint (this includes martyrs as well). The title of saint tells us that the person lived a holy life, is in heaven, and is to be honored by the universal Church. Canonization does not "make" a person a saint; it recognizes what God has already done.



When did the Church start honoring saints?
By the year 100 A.D., Christians were honoring other Christians who had died, and asking for their intercession. Many people think that honoring saints was something the Church set up later, but it was part of Christianity from the very beginning. As a matter of fact, this practice came from a long-standing tradition in the Jewish faith of honoring prophets and holy people with shrines. The first saints were martyrs, people who had given up their lives for the Faith in the persecution of Christians.




Do Catholics pray TO saints?
Catholics pray with saints, not to them. They ask saints to pray for them in times of trouble.


A quick rundown...
Saints by Country



Patron Saints of Spain
James the Greater
John of Avila
Our Lady of Guadalupe of Estremadura
Our Lady of Montserrat
Our Lady of Ransom
Our Lady of the Pillar of Saragossa Teresa of Avila



Patron Saints of Italy
Basillica of Saint Mary Major
Bernadine of Siena
Catherine of Siena
Francis of Assisi
Madonna of Saint Luke
Our Lady of Loreto
Our Lady of Perpetual Help
Our Lady of Pompeii
Our Lady of Tears
Our Lady of the Snow


Patron Saints of France:
Anne
Denis
Joan of Arc
Martin of Tours
Notre Dame Cathedral of Paris
Notre Dame of Chartres
Our Lady of LaSallette
Our Lady of Lourdes
Our Lady of Pontmain
Our Lady of the Assumption
Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal
Remigius (Pillars of the earth?!?!)
Therese of Liseux


Some special purpose saints...

The Patron Saint of Air Travel:
The Catholic Church recognizes more than 20 patron saints of travel, so they basically have us covered on this one. But a favorite has to be St Joseph of Cupertino, the Patron Saint of Safe Air Travel.





When in a heightened holy state, for example at Mass or during feast day parades, Joseph would suddenly begin to levitate and neither shouting or pinching or slapping would rouse him from his trance or cause him to land. This earned him a second nickname of "the Flying Friar" and many years after his death made him an obvious choice to be the Patron Saint of air travel. 

For more info on the Travel Saints, check out this great site!




A few more, just in case...
Patron Saint Against Bad Weather - Saint Médard
Patron Saint Against Oversleeping - Saint Vitus
Patron saint of taxi drivers - Saint Fiacre
Patron Saint of the Internet - Saint Isidore of Seville

Patron Saint of Unattractive People - Saint Drogo
Patron Saint of Hangovers - Bibiana
Patron Saint of Dogs - Saint Roch (Saint Rocco)

Patron Saint of Mad Dogs - Saint Hubert of Liege
St. Sebastian – Patron of Cranky Children




And finally, just in case you were wondering... Yes, there is a patron saint of patron saints! He is Saint Flairpool of San Seriffe, a fisherman who lived in the 11th Century.  A fisherman!  I bet that he could have used a fly tying mirror!



53 more days!

5 comments:

  1. Hopefully we won't be praying to the Patron Saint of the Internet (meaning Ken would be working) :-(

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  2. This comment has been removed by the author.

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  3. Sorry. I just keep thinking "David Blaine?"

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  4. Patron Saint of cruise ship travel is . . . ?

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  5. ...and which one is the Patron Saint of finding a good man?....I need to pray!

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