10 Symbols of the Saints Questions | Christian People / Saints Trivia Quiz

Answer: Saint Peter

Saint Peter is the one who holds the keys to heaven. This depiction finds its origin in Matthew 16:19, where Jesus speaks to Peter: "And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven." (KJV)

This verse (and especially the second part of the sentence) is also often cited in marriage ceremonies, meaning that a Christian wedding should not be dissolved other than by the death of one of the partners.

Saint Peter is venerated on June 29th. He was born Simon and was one of the first apostles. Jesus renamed him Peter ("The Rock") and appointed him as His successor for leading the early Church. Saint Peter is the patron saint of fishermen, because he worked as a fisherman before joining Jesus as an apostle. As the first Pope, Saint Peter is of course also patron saint of the papacy. Because of his depiction with the Keys of Heaven, Saint Peter is also patron saint of locksmiths.

Saint Joseph, foster father of Jesus, was a carpenter and is thus typically depicted with carpentry tools (a hammer, a saw...). Saint Eligius was a smith and is thus typically depicted with an anvil. Saint Barsanuphius has a quite exceptional story. He was a hermit in Egypt and died there between 540 and 565. And yet he is sometimes depicted with an airplane. Legend has it that the Italian town of Oria, where his relics are stored, was spared from air bombing because Barsanuphius spread his cloak over the town, thus causing a fierce rainstorm.

Answer: Saint Ambrose

Saint Ambrose was born around 340. In 374, as a governor of Milan, he tried to restore order after the Christians rioted over the choice of their new bishop. By popular acclaim, Ambrose was chosen as bishop - even though he was not yet baptized. Because Ambrose spoke and preached with a sweet mellow voice, he was soon titled "the honey-tongued Doctor". Hence his association with bees and beehives. Saint Ambrose died in 397 and is venerated on December 7th.

Saint Alfred the Great (849-899) was King of Wessex. Therefore he is usually depicted with a sceptre and/or an orb. Saint Agnes has a name similar to the Latin word for lamb. Therefore this martyr is frequently depicted holding a lamb in her arms. Saint Anthony the Abbot is associated with a pig. When he started his hermit life about 270, he would have been employed as a swineherd.

Answer: Saint Cecilia

According to the traditional hagiography (written down several centuries after the alleged facts), Cecilia was a daughter of a wealthy Roman family in the Second Century. She pledged her virginity to Jesus Christ, but her family forced her to marry Valerian. During the pagan marriage rites, Cecilia is said to be singing to God in her heart. When Valerian was preparing to consummate the marriage, Cecilia threatened him that she was protected by an angel, and that Valerian would die instantly on touching her. After Valerian was baptized, he could see this angel, too. Valerian and Cecilia were martyred because of their refusal to sacrifice for the Roman (pagan) gods. Saint Cecilia is venerated on November 22nd.

Saint Agatha was another martyr. She is associated with (church) bells, because of the specific way she was tortured: her breasts were cut off and presented on a platter. These two breasts had a similar shape as two church bells or as two loafs of bread. Gabriel the Archangel is associated with trumpets. Several passages in the Bible mention Gabriel as messenger of God, announcing his arrival with a trumpet or bassoon. Saint Patrick is the patron saint of Ireland. That's why he is sometimes depicted with an Irish harp.

Answer: Saint Gertrude of Nivelles

As my cat is the boss in my house, I have to confess Saint Gertrude is exactly my kind of patron saint. Gertrude was born about 626 into the highest nobility. Indeed, she was a daughter of Pepin of Landen and thus a great-aunt of Charles Martel. After Pepin died, Gertrude's mother founded a convent in Nivelles, and Gertrude and her mother retired into this convent. From 646 until 656 Gertrude was the abbess at Nivelles. She died of natural causes in 659. After her death, farmers would invoke the divine intervention of Saint Gertrude against plagues of mice and rats. So Gertrude was soon seen as patron saint of cats, as these are excellent mouse hunters.

Saint Gertrude is venerated on March 17th. It is a popular saying that if the weather on Saint Gertrude's feast is fine, the harvest will be abundant.

Caspar, Melchior and Balthasar are the three wise men visiting Christ after His birth. They are usually depicted riding on camels. Perpetua and her maid Felicitas were devoured by wild animals. That's why Perpetua is sometimes depicted with a leopard. Theodore Stratelates is sometimes depicted as killing a crocodile or an alligator. According to the hagiography, he was a Roman soldier who killed a giant reptile and thus saved the inhabitants of Heraclea (Asia Minor, nowadays Turkey).

Answer: Saint John the Baptist

Saint John the Baptist was a fierce opponent of the morals at the palace in Jerusalem and the household of King Herod. At a certain moment (before Christ's entry in Jerusalem), John the Baptist was imprisoned at the orders of Herod. Herod's wife Herodias then instigated her daughter Salome to dance for the King, and to ask as a reward John the Baptist's head on a silver platter. Saint John the Baptist is venerated on June 24th.

Saint Denis (the patron saint of Paris), Saint Justus and Saint Solange are three martyrs who were beheaded. After their execution, they took their head in their hands and walked away - which is the manner in which they are frequently portrayed. One of the statues at the Notre Dame in Paris shows us Saint Denis, headless, carrying his head with mitre and all in his hands.

Answer: Saint Sebastian

Saint Sebastian was a Roman soldier who secretly converted to Christianity. When Emperor Diocletian found out, he had Sebastian used as a target practice for his archers. But miraculously Sebastian survived, and confronted Diocletian once more. Finally the emperor had Sebastian clubbed to death. Some paintings and sculptures show Sebastian fully clothed and carrying a few arrows. But most artworks show him almost naked, tied to a tree or a marble post (and usually in a contorted pose), shot by several arrows or while a number of archers prepare to practice on him. Veronese is one of the few masters who painted the clubbing of Sebastian. Benozzo Gozzoli showed Sebastian being hit by more than twenty arrows - in this painting he could be compared to a porcupine. Saint Sebastian is venerated on January 20th.

Saint Christina, Saint Philomena and Saint Ursula are usually depicted fully clothed (otherwise prudish Catholics could be offended), with one or more arrows in their hands or perhaps one arrow through the throat.

Answer: Saint Veronica

Veronica is not mentioned in the Bible. Her character has been added later on in the story about the Passion of the Christ. The story goes that while Christ was on His way to Golgotha to be crucified, one of the female spectators was moved to compassion and decided to wipe His face (stained with blood and sweat). This veil would then have produced miraculously a realistic image of Jesus' face. The Vatican would have this same veil as one of the most remarkable relics, but it has never been subjected to scientific research.
Veronica's veil is not to be confused with the shroud of Turin, allegedly the piece of cloth draped around the body of Christ at His burial. Saint Veronica, venerated on July 12th, is the patron saint of laundry women, but also of photographers.

Saint Jerome is depicted wearing a cardinal's hat and attire, and in most cases accompanied by a tame lion. Saint Ignatius of Loyola's attribute in artworks is the chasuble: the principal vestment worn by priests during the Holy Eucharist.
Saint Martin of Tours is most frequently depicted cutting his cloak in two, and handing over a half cloak to a beggar.

Answer: Saint Brigid of Kildare

Saint Bridget is one of the most important Saints of Ireland, together with Saint Patrick. Most sources agree that she lived from around 453 to about 524. As an infant she would have been fed by a cow, and as a young child she miraculously multiplied milk and butter. One story tells how she gave away to the poor the entire produce of butter from her parent's dairy farm, only to find the granges full of butter once again. Another story tells how she would feed a leper with a bucket of milk, and the bucket would replenish itself. Saint Bridget is venerated on February 1st.

Saint Kevin is usually depicted with a blackbird nesting in his hands, laying eggs and hatching them. Saint Guy (a Belgian saint) is depicted with horses, because a horse has uncovered his completely forgotten grave. The animals accompanying Saint Genevieve are sheep: she tended a flock of sheep when darkness set in. She lit a candle, which the Devil tried to put out, but Genevieve lit the candle time after time and so brought her flock safely home.

Answer: Saint Martin de Porres

Saint Martin de Porres was born in Lima in 1579, from mixed descent (European and African or native American). He applied to join the Dominicans, but the laws at that time did not allow non-Europeans as full members of a religious order. Martin found employment at the convent, especially in cleaning the kitchen. In 1623 (having been admitted as a lay brother) he was transferred to the infirmary, where he treated all regardless of race, age, wealth and gender.
Several miraculous talents are ascribed to Saint Martin de Porres, among others the ability to communicate freely with all kind of animals. Saint Martin de Porres is venerated on November 3rd.

Saint Roch has as symbol a dog licking his wounds. Saint Columbanus is frequently depicted with a dove or with a bear. Saint Agapitus is sometimes depicted with a few lions.

Answer: Saint Kateri Tekakwitha

Saint Kateri Tekakwitha (other orthographies also exist) was born in 1656. She lost her parents during a smallpox epidemic when she was young. In 1676 she was baptized and went to a mission just outside Montreal. She died in 1680.
She is sometimes holding a turtle, because she came from the Turtle clan of the Mohawks.

Saint Kateri Tekakwitha is venerated on April 17th (internationally) or on July 14th (in the USA). Saint Damien is occasionally depicted with a lei, symbolizing his work on the Hawaiian islands. Saint Charles Lwanga is usually depicted with a palm branch symbolizing his martyrdom. Saint Mother Teresa is not associated with any symbol, but in all pictures I've found she's clearly recognizable by her white with blue head covering.