Answer: Saint Vitus
The Prague cathedral was erected in honour of Saint Vitus alone. In 1997 the cathedral was also dedicated to the other Czech saints Adalbert and Wenceslas.
Saint Vitus died about 300 AD, after various tortures. According to medieval paintings, he was boiled in a cauldron over a hot fire. One of this paintings adds a person who stirs the cauldron in which Vitus is being boiled.
The origin of the practice is unknown, but in the late middle ages people would dance before shrines dedicated to Saint Vitus on his name day (June 15). Because of this practice, Vitus was promoted to patron saint of dancers.
Saint Bartholomew is the patron saint of (among many other places) the Czech city Plzen. Saint Nicholas patronizes children and is also the patron saint of many cities, including two cities in Belgium named after him. Saint Anthony of Padua is the patron saint of Padua, Italy (evidently) and Lisbon, Portugal - to name but a few.
From Quiz: Patron Saints of European Cities and Villages
Answer: Virgin Mary (Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception)
If you need something from the Big Boss, who better to ask for you than his mother. The Virgin Mary is patron of more people, places, and things than I can count. Literally. I gave up at 350 patronages. The other three saintly women are also "Mothers", as in founders of religious orders. Each of them is also a patron saint: St. Elizabeth Seton is a patron for widows, St. Frances Cabrini for immigrants, and St. Theodora Guerin, who was canonized rather recently, is patron of the Catholic Archdiocese of Indianapolis.
From Quiz: Saintly Patronage
Answer: Phocas
St. Phocas' feast day is September 22
Phocas earned his living by cultivating a garden near the city gate of Sinope, now located in Turkey. He shared with the poor what he earned from his gardening, and opened his home to travelers lacking a place to stay. Discovering his Christian identity, Roman soldiers were dispatched to find and arrest him. Upon nearing the city, they stopped at Phocas' door and received lodging from him, unaware that their host was the man they were charged to capture. In his home, they spoke openly of their mission before retiring for the night.
As the soldiers slept, Phocas prayed and prepared himself for martyrdom, even digging his own grave during the night! The next morning, he revealed to them his identity. The soldiers were at first reluctant to carry out their orders against their kind host, but in the end they beheaded him.
From Quiz: There's a Patron Saint for Just About Everything
Answer: St. Ambrose
Born in Germany, Ambrose lived most of his life in Milan, Italy as an original doctor of the church. Living his life in the fourth century, he has been venerated as a saint multiple times. He happens to be a busy man-- he was a patron saint not only of bees and beekeepers, but also candles, wax, and the city of Milan.
According to stories of his life, bees featured prominently in his infancy. He later became Bishop of Milan, building the Basilica of Sant'Ambrogio. This structure took a great deal of damage during bombings in World War II.
Saint Valentine is also a patron saint for beekeepers and so is St. Bernard of Clairvaux.
From Quiz: Take Me To Your Leader
Answer: Saint Cecilia
Saint Cecilia lived in Roman society and converted at a young age to Christianity. She vowed to live a virginal life in the service of God. Alas her parents had different plans for their daughter and arranged a marriage with Valerian of Trastevere. Interestingly, she is also one of the patron saints of difficult marriages. Cecilia persuaded both her husband and his brother to convert to Christianity and to develop a ministry of providing decent burials to martyred Christians. Ironically, all three would meet ugly deaths.
Saint Camillus is the patron saint of nursing, Saint Louise is the patron saint of widows and orphans, and Saint Brigid is the patron saint of newborns and nuns.
From Quiz: She Was a Patron Saint!
Answer: Saint Brigit of Kildare
Saint Brigit -- also called Saint Brigid -- is responsible for quite a lot of farm animals, but also for chicken - and chicken farmers. She lived about 451-525 in Ireland. Her mother was a slave and she was the property of a druid. Brigid couldn't take food from this man because of his impurity. Therefore a cow was to sustain her. This may be the link to the farm animals.
Catherine was from Sweden and Beatrice an Italian lady. Saint Cunigunde of Luxembourg -- well you might have guessed it -- once called Luxembourg her home. She is the patron saint of Luxembourg.
From Quiz: Old McDonald Knew a Saint
Answer: Students
St. Thomas Aquinas (1225-1274) was called the "Dumb Ox" because of his large size. His work, the "Summa Theologica", is considered to be one of the masterpieces of Catholic theology.
From Quiz: Patron Saints
Answer: St. Francis of Assisi
St. Francis (1182-1226) gave away all that he had. Many icons and statues depict him holding animals and he is a popular choice for garden sculptures.
From Quiz: Catholic Patron Saints
Answer: St. Erasmus
St. Erasmus was the bishop of Formiae, Campagna, Italy. He fled to Mount Lebanon in the persecutions of emperor Diocletian; he was fed by a raven so he could stay in hiding. After he was discovered, he was imprisoned; an angel then rescued him. After he was recaptured, he was martyred. St Erasmus is also the namesake for Saint Elmo's Fire.
From Quiz: Obscure Catholic Saints, Part 2
Answer: Fishermen
It seems fitting that St. Andrew should be the patron saint of fishermen. (I never can get my head around the pc term fisherpeople). In his lifetime, Andrew was a Galilean fishermen. He became a disciple of John the Baptist, and after John's death he responded to Jesus' call to follow Him. It was Andrew who persuaded his brother Peter to leave everything behind to follow Jesus. Tradition has it that after the first Pentecost, Andrew preached the gospel in Greece and in Turkey (he is supposed to have founded the first church in Constantinople, but there is no historic basis for this claim). Patras in Achaia (near Corinth) is reputedly the site of Andrew's crucifixion on an x-shaped cross. The legend of St. Andrew says that even while he was on the cross, Andrew preached for two days before he eventually died.
From Quiz: Patron Saints: Trades Division
Answer: St. Guy of Anderlecht
He was born c. 950. He was born into poverty and raised by religious parents. His memorial is September 12th. He died 1012. And if you were a cow or even a deer you should probably pray everyday.
From Quiz: Obscure Catholic Saints
Answer: St. Dominic
St. Dominic's feast day is August 8. He is commonly depicted with a dog holding a torch in its mouth, symbolizing the fire and zeal he had for souls. He was canonized in 1234 by Pope Gregory IX.
From Quiz: Patron Saints in the Catholic Church
Answer: St. Mary Magdalene
The Gospel of St. Luke (7:36) describes an unnamed "sinful woman" (not necessarily a prostitute; the exact sin or sins she committed are not specified) who anoints Jesus' feet and dries them with her hair; the very next chapter introduces Mary Magdalene for the first time. How the Western church managed to confuse one with the other is baffling (the Eastern church got it right), but Mary has been misidentified as a repentant prostitute ever since. However, Mary Magdalene did bring a jar of ointment to Jesus' tomb, so her patronage of perfumery is, perhaps, appropriate.
From Quiz: Patron Saints
Answer: Throat
On the feast of St. Blaise the priest crosses two candles and puts them by your neck. Then he says 'Through the intercession of St. Blaise, Bishop and Martyr, may God deliver you from every disease of the throat, and from every other illness.'
From Quiz: Patron Saints of Sufferers
Answer: James
Chile was first colonized by the Spaniards from 1540 onwards. Pedro de Valdivia founded in 1541 the city Santiago, and named it after Saint James the Greater. The full name of the Chilean capital is Santiago de la Nueva Extremadura, because Valdivia was born in the Spanish province Extremadura.
Saint James the Greater and his brother Saint John the Apostle were sons of Zebedee and Salome, maybe even distant cousins to Jesus Christ. After Andrew and Simon Peter, James and John were the first to follow Jesus Christ. When later James the son of Alphaeus joined the apostles, it became custom to name James son of Zebedee "the Greater" and James the son of Alphaeus "the Lesser", not necessarily because a difference in stature but because the son of Zebedee followed Jesus earlier.
Saint James the Greater is reported to be the first apostle to be martyred: he would be beheaded at the bequest of King Herod in 44 AD. After his death, legend has it that angels took away his body and shipped it on a boat without crew, that landed in Spain. That's why Saint James the Greater's relics are supposed to be buried in the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela.
From Quiz: Patron Saints of South America
Answer: Saint Lucy
Saint Lucy of Sicily is the correct saint to pray to for any eye disease. Born in 283, she was executed in 304 because of her Christian beliefs. The reason why she is patron saint against blindness is disputed. Some sources (written down more than thousand years after her death) imply one of the methods to torture her was that her eyes were gouged out, other sources (again arising centuries after her death) claim she blinded herself to dissuade a pagan lover. Another theory is that her name refers to the light: Lucy is derived from the Latin word Lux, meaning light. And this latter explanation could also explain that she is venerated on December 13, the day that was the winter solstice at the time of her death.
Saint Einhildis, Saint Elizabeth Rose and Saint Jodoc are three other saints venerated on December 13. None of these is associated with a patronage against some medical condition.
From Quiz: Healing Saints
Answer: Melk
Coloman was born somewhere in the British isles - possibly in Ireland. He set out on a pilgrimage to Jerusalem. As he wandered into Stockerau in 1012 (a small town near Vienna), soldiers got hold of him. At that time, the Austrians were constantly bickering with Moravia and Bohemia. As Coloman did not speak German, his interrogation went quite wrong. The Viennese convicted him of espionage, and they executed him by hanging. After Coloman died, several miracles were reported: his body was well preserved after more than a year, unharmed by bird and beast. The scaffold on which Coloman was executed blossomed and spread fine fragrances.
The Austrians eventually recognised Coloman as a saint, executed by mistake. When the abbey of Melk was founded in 1089, about 90 km west of Vienna, the abbey was in need of some relics. So Coloman's body was transferred to Melk, and a tomb was erected for him.
Salzburg has several patron saints, including Saint Rupert of Salzburg who died there. The patron saint of Vienna is Clemens Maria Hofbauer, a nineteenth-century preacher in Vienna. Linz is patronized by Saint Florian, who is said to have saved a town from burning down by throwing a single bucket of water.
From Quiz: Patron Saints of European Cities and Villages
Answer: Saint Joseph
About sixty people born in what now is Belgium have been canonized. But most of the men included in this category are too unfamiliar to other countries in order to gain a recognition as national patron saint. For instance, Saint Trudo (died 698, feast day November 23) has no worldwide fame.
The most important church in the Belgian capital has been dedicated to Saint Gudula and Saint Michael. Neither have been declared patron saint of Belgium. Saint Gudula (646-714) is venerated on January 8 and is patron of Brussels. The archangel Saint Michael has his feast day on September 29 and is patron saint (among others) of policemen.
Saint Leopold III (1073-1136) was Margrave of Austria. Hence he is the patron saint of Austria. He is remembered on November 15. As the first Belgian king also was named Leopold, the Germanic community has its regional feast day on November 15.
The patron saint of Belgium is Saint Joseph, the foster father of Jesus Christ and patron saint of carpenters (as Joseph himself was a carpenter too). Saint Joseph is venerated on March 19, a day that in the province of Antwerp has been chosen as Father's Day (the rest of Belgium celebrates Father's Day in June). Belgium has had a fair share of relatively famous carpenters, especially during the 18th and 19th Century (carpenters specialised in the production of pulpits and confession booths).
Other patron saints of Belgium include Saint Columbanus (venerated on February 2), Saint Lutgardis (feast day June 16) and Saint Willibrord (celebrated November 7).
From Quiz: National Patron Saints
Answer: Dismas
St. Dismas' feast day is March 25
We don't know for certain that his name was Dismas, but he is traditionally called this.
From the Gospel of St. Luke 23:39-43, New Revised Standard Edition
"One of the criminals who were hanged there kept deriding him and saying, 'Are you not the Messiah? Save yourself and us!' But the other rebuked him, saying, 'Do you not fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? And we indeed have been condemned justly, for we are getting what we deserve for our deeds, but this man has done nothing wrong.' Then he said, 'Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.' He replied, 'Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in Paradise.'"
From Quiz: There's a Patron Saint for Just About Everything
Answer: Saint Martha
Martha was the sister of Mary and Lazarus, the same Lazarus that Jesus Christ brought back from the dead. It was at Martha's house in Bethany that Jesus stayed after his entry into Jerusalem. She is the patron saint of cooking and servants in reference to the service she gave to the Savior before his death.
Saint Dymphna is the patron saint of insanity. Saint Anna is the patron of housewives, and Saint Lidwina is the patron saint of skaters (yep I said skaters).
From Quiz: She Was a Patron Saint!
Answer: Perpetua and Felicity
It happened in the third century. Perpetua was a lady living in the Roman province of Carthage. Felicity was her slave.
They were arrested for their faith and ended up in the show program for Emperor Geta's birthday. The wild cow who should have killed the two didn't do her job properly, so the sword had to do the gruesome rest.
The ladies are also patron saints for butchers -- if the cow doesn't recover, a butcher might have prayed at the same time. And after the traumatic experiences with a cow, a vote against the cow might be easily understood.
Well, the other ladies are not that saintly. They may be found on TV or in your record collection.
From Quiz: Old McDonald Knew a Saint
Answer: St. Lucy
St. Lucy (283-304) is often depicted holding a plate with two eyes resting in it. She reportedly had her eyes gouged out and they were miraculously restored.
From Quiz: Patron Saints
Answer: Soldiers
St. Joan (1412-1431) was a peasant girl, but heard the voices of the saints compelling her to help King Charles return to the French throne. After several great victories, she was captured and tried as a heretic. She was burned at the stake at 19 after refusing to renounce her assertion that the saints spoke to her.
From Quiz: Catholic Patron Saints
Answer: St. Matthew the Apostle
He was the son of Alphaeus, he lived at Capenaum on Lake Genesareth. He was a Roman tax collector. Jesus' contemporaries were surprised to see Christ with a traitor, but Jesus explained that he had come "not to call the just, but sinners."
From Quiz: Obscure Catholic Saints, Part 2
Answer: Mark
I find it fascinating that Mark, who is credited with being the author of the shortest, pithiest gospel, is the fellow who is the patron of a profession whose members delight in using five words where one will do (the more obscure and multisyllabic the words, the better, it seems). My best friend is a lawyer, and I often tease her about being paid by the word. (I'm a writer by trade, and she says that's the pot calling the kettle black!) My choice for a patron saint for lawyers would have been St. Paul, who has a tendency to over-explain things, and gets pretty convoluted at times. Luke gets doctors, but that would have been too easy, since everyone knows that. John is the patron saint of writers, and Matthew - well, you'll have to wait for the answer to the question about accountants.
From Quiz: Patron Saints: Professional Division
Answer: St. Vitus
Rheumatic or Sydenham's Chorea (St. Vitus' Dance) is a temporary, non-contagious disorder of the brain which occasionally afflicts children between 7 and 14. It affects the part of the brain which affects movement and can cause either involuntary spasms and jerking movements or momentary stroke-like paralysis. It is treatable with penicillin and antibiotics. St. Vitus was martyred around the same time as St. Erasmus (see above) under Diocletian, whose son he is said to have healed of an affliction similar to Chorea. Instead of being grateful, the emperor accused him of sorcery. According to yet another charming medieval legend, he was thrown into boiling oil, along with a rooster (this had a ritualistic purpose I'm not quite clear about). In 16th century Germany, it became customary to dance in front of St. Vitus' shrine on his feast day to insure a year's good health, hence his patronage of dancers. He is also invoked against storms, lightning, wild beasts, and against oversleeping (apparently, his companion in martyrdom- the rooster- is supposed to wake you up. Seriously!).
From Quiz: More Patron Saint Trivia
Answer: St. Francis de Sales
St. Francis de Sales is the patron saint of writers. His feast day is January 24. He wrote the book "Introduction to a Devout Life" in 1609. He was canonized in 1665 by Pope Alexander VII.
From Quiz: Patron Saints in the Catholic Church
Answer: St. Joseph of Arimathea
Joseph, you will remember, provided for Jesus' burial, laying him to rest in his own tomb. According to tradition, Joseph journeyed to England after the Resurrection, where he evangelized the locals and planted the hawthorne bush known as the Glastonbury thorn (it sprouted from his staff when he planted it in the ground).
From Quiz: Patron Saints
Answer: Catherine of Bologna
Her memorial day is March 9.
From Quiz: Do You Know Your Saints?
Answer: Snakes
From Quiz: Patron Saints of Sufferers
Answer: Peter Claver
Colombia has several patron saints, among which Saint Peter Claver and Saint Louis Bertran. But my loose remark about his keys should have pointed you to the only Peter listed here, for the apostle Peter is frequently associated with "holding the keys" to heaven.
Saint Peter Claver (1580-1654) was born in Spain. At the age of 20 he joined the Jesuit order. In 1610 he sailed to the New World, and started preaching among the slaves of African descent in and around Cartagena, Colombia. During his forty years of missionary work, he would have baptized at least 300,000 people - an average of 7,500 per year.
Saint Louis Bertran (1526-1581) was a Dominican missionary to Panama and Colombia. His feast is on October 9, not September 9.
Saint Ferdinand III of Aragon (1217-1252) was king of Castilia. He was chosen the patron saint of the Colombian city Amaga.
Saint Nicholas of Myra (270-343) was bishop in Myra, today Turkey. Apart from his patronage of children, he is also the patron saint of the Colombian city Baranquilla.
From Quiz: Patron Saints of South America
Answer: Sainte Genevieve
Sainte Genevieve lived probably from 422 until 502. She converted to Christianity early in life and became a nun. When Attila and the Huns came to France (in 451) rampaging and pillaging, Genevieve led the people in prayer during several days. And without having to fight, the Parisians saw the Huns retreating. In 464 Genevieve once more intervened in favour of Paris: when Childeric besieged the city, Genevieve slipped away and brought food for the besieged. The third time that Genevieve rescued the Parisian population, was long after she died. In 1129 an epidemic disease was overcome when Genevieve's relics were devotedly paraded through the city.
Saint Andrew is one of the patron saints of Bordeaux. Sainte Blandina of Lyon is the patron saint for Lyon. And Victor of Marseilles is the patron saint of the harbour city he was named after.
From Quiz: Patron Saints of European Cities and Villages
Answer: Saint Patrick
All these are patron saints of Ireland, as well as Saint Brigid of Ireland.
Saint Patrick was not born in Ireland, but in England. Pirates enslaved him and took him to Ireland, where he tended the sheep. At the age of 20, he escaped back to England and started studying to become a priest. In 432 he returned to Ireland, preaching all over the island and converting thousands of pagans - until his death, supposedly in 493. (I have to remark that all dates concerning Saint Patrick have been the object of discussion among historians.) Saint Patrick is credited with a number of legends: the use of the shamrock as symbol of the Trinity, the banishing of snakes from the island of Ireland, the transformation of his walking stick into a blooming ash tree. His feast day is March 17.
Saint Kevin is venerated on June 3. One of the legends about the life of this abbot is that once when preaching during lent, Saint Kevin stretched out his hands and a blackbird laid an egg in one of his hands. Saint Kevin then stood still until the egg hatched.
Saint Columba was born in Ireland and went on a mission to evangelise the Picts in Scotland. He founded the monastery of Iona, where he is buried. His name is celebrated June 9.
Saint Malachy is venerated on November 3 worldwide, or November 4 in Ireland. One of the miracles he is said to have performed was restoring the eyesight of the Scottish King David's son by presenting him with an apple.
Saint Brigid lived from around 451 until 523. In her first months she is said to have been fed by a white cow with red ears. Later miracles include the multiplication of agricultural produce, such as butter or apples.
From Quiz: National Patron Saints
Answer: Peregrine Laziosi
St. Peregrine Laziosi's feast day is May 1
A victim of a spreading cancer in his foot, Peregrine was scheduled for an amputation. He spent the night before the operation in prayer; he received a vision of Christ who touched the diseased area. The next morning, Peregrine found his cancer completely healed.
From Quiz: There's a Patron Saint for Just About Everything
Answer: Lightning
Saint Barbara was beheaded by her father in the fourth century after converting from Paganism to Christianity, but not before a series of miracles including (and not limited to) turning a betrayer to stone, turning his sheep into locusts, and her own teleportation. In a proto-feminist move, Barbara refused the marriage offer set forth by her father and fled to pray to her new savior. This set forth a chain of evens leading to her inevitable canonization. After her father beheaded her, he was allegedly struck by lightning and she's been associated with it ever since.
You may know her better as 'Santa Barbara'; the California city is named after her. She's also the patron saint of the U.S. Navy, miners, artillerymen, and fireworks makers. Presumably, her canonization sparked debate, but that would only help, right?
From Quiz: Take Me To Your Leader
Answer: Saint Anthony the Great
Saint Anthony is one of the more important saints of the Roman church. He is one of the best known ascetics. Living in Egypt around 251-356 he is said to have been a swineherd at one time. Another story deals with his temptations by Satan. A wild and energetic pig made its appearance. Anthony kept cool and the animal changed into a peaceful one. Well, if a beautiful woman didn't tempt Augustine -- why should an ancient Miss Piggy be successful? Kermit the frog is said to pray that this wonder will happen to his Miss Piggy, without success so far.
The other saints were also hermits of some importance. Benedict -- the one responsible for the Order of St. Benedict -- is patron saint of agriculture workers.
From Quiz: Old McDonald Knew a Saint
Answer: St. Florian
St. Florian died in the year 304 and was a member of the Roman army. He was scourged and thrown into the river with a rock tied around his neck after being burned. He served among the Vigiles, members of the Roman army who were night patrolmen on the lookout for criminals and wayward fires. There is no such person as St. Finnistrio.
From Quiz: Patron Saints
Answer: St. Roch
St. Roch (1295-1327) was a French nobleman who gave up his riches to help the poor and suffering. When he contracted a plague, he went to a forest to die, but was nursed back to health by a dog.
From Quiz: Catholic Patron Saints
Answer: St. Catherine of Alexandra
Catherine was educated in science and oratory. She converted to Christianity after receiving a vision. When she was 18 years old, during the persecution of Maximus, she offered to debate the pagan philosophers. Many were converted by her arguments, and immediately martyred. Maximus had her scourged and imprisoned. The empress and the leader of Maximus' army, amazed by the stories, went to see Catherine in prison. They converted and were martyred. Maximus ordered her broken on the wheel, but she touched it and the wheel was destroyed. She was beheaded, and her body whisked away by angels.
From Quiz: Obscure Catholic Saints, Part 2
Answer: Luke
Luke the Physician is not only the patron saint of doctors and artists, but also the patron of butchers. I sincerely hope this is not a reflection on his surgical skills.
Luke was a Greek by birth and a convert to Christianity. He accompanied St. Paul on missionary journeys into Asia Minor and Greece, and is also the author of the Gospel that bears his name and the Book of the Acts of the Apostles.
Luke is unusual among the early apostles and evangelists in that he was not martyred but is reputed to have lived to the ripe old age of 84 (very ripe for the first century) and died in Bithynia in Asia Minor. There is an ancient (and unproved) legend that he founded a church in Constantinople.
From Quiz: Patron Saints: Trades Division
