Choosing A Patron Saint... Help!

[WickedServant]

Any ideas to help me go about it? I've tried searching the web for concised biographies or lists; no luck.

Anyhow, is there a method to it? Like do I seek characteristics in a Saint that I think I have, or characteristics in a Saint that I don't, and am seeking? Or is it about the Saint being from your country? (which I doubt)

I've been praying to St.Paul (the Apostle) and St.Herman (of Alaska) but I am not settled on the issue, but restless. What does THAT mean?

Bless me

 

[Kolya]

I've been praying to St.Paul (the Apostle) and St.Herman (of Alaska) but I am not settled on the issue, but restless. What does THAT mean?

It means you havn't been 'chosen' yet. Take your time. A good guide is to see who has a Saintday nearest your birthday.

But go to OCA's site or GOARCH's site and see who is there. Are you an Amicaicn or canadian by birth? Then check out American Saints. Or if you attend a Greek or Russian Church, chose one from those countries.
Take your time. The right one will make themselves known to you.

 

[Marjorie]

I know that in my case, I was given my saint... my patron saint is the saint from which my name derives (St. Marina.) I am really starting to love her. She is the icon in my avatar.

I know that many here feel that their saints 'chose' them instead of the other way around... they just suddenly felt that their saint was calling them. But not everyone has that, so don't worry!

I would just say read as many saints' lives as you can, and pray, and if in the end you still haven't found a saint that has 'grabbed' you, go with one that you would be comfortable asking for prayers regularly... one you feel a kinship with. Both St. Paul and St. Herman are fine saints!

I'll pray for your discernment.

By the way, what is your first name?

In IC XC,
Marjorie

 

[icxn]

When is your birthday (month and day)?

 

[Seraphima]

It appeared to me that St Seaphim of Sarov was 'speaking' to me, and wanted me to take his name. But a while later, St Vassili (Basil) the Blessed (Fool for Christ) also started to make it known that he was also my Saint. His nameday is the same as St Seraphim's, so now I have two 'patrons'.lol
One must under stand that it is important to believe that you can pray to Saints and that they hear you. Then they start 'talking' to you. It's very diffucult to explain to new Orthodox.

Anyhow, that is how I expeienced it.

Seraphima

 

[katherine2001]

My saint chose me. I was trying hard to choose between St. Katherine and St. Photini (the woman at the well). I felt drawn more to St. Photini since she was a woman who had to fight a lot of passions and had a lot of sin in her life, as I did. I was drawn to St. Katherine because of how she overcame all of her passions and became so pure. One day (I work a graveyard shift and sleep during the day) I woke up and sensed that St. Katherine was praying for me, so I chose her as my patron saint. However, I also have an icon of St. Photini in my icon corner because you can ask for intercession from other saints as well.

As Marjorie said, some priests choose your saint for you. Mine encouraged us to choose our own, though he would choose one for you if you couldn't choose. Maybe you could ask him for some ideas. Maybe he can think of saints that would seem to be a good match for you and you could read their stories and choose one.

 

[katherine2001]

It appeared to me that St Seaphim of Sarov was 'speaking' to me, and wanted me to take his name. But a while later, St Vassili (Basil) the Blessed (Fool for Christ) also started to make it known that he was also my Saint. His nameday is the same as St Seraphim's, so now I have two 'patrons'.lol
One must under stand that it is important to believe that you can pray to Saints and that they hear you. Then they start 'talking' to you. It's very diffucult to explain to new Orthodox.

Anyhow, that is how I expeienced it.

Seraphima

I feel that way about icons. Icons have a way of "speaking" to you also. Try explaining that to someone who doesn't understand icons. I mentioned that to Matushka last week and her reply was that we speak to them and they speak to us.

 

[moses916]

i don't have a patron saint as because of my baptism since i was baptized as an infant and no one really chose me a saint, but my patron saint is the patron saint of my Church, St. George, i dunno if many ppl pick their patrons saints because its the patron saint of their church but i do.

 

[OrthodoxyUSA]

I agree with most here... let your Patron choose you...

I thought I wanted Peter, but St. Maximos the Confessor kept coming to me. I felt like he was tapping me on the shoulder...

St. Xenia helped me quite a bit as well as St. Moses.

But St. Maximos kept returning....

Don't worry about it.... when it is time to choose the name, you will know.

Forgive me....

 

[ExOrienteLux]

Just to reiterate what everyone's saying, your Patron really does choose you.

I thought that St. George was going to be my patron until about two weeks before my Chrismation. Then I actually looked at the calendar to see who's commemorated on the day that I would have been baptised, had I been born to Orthodox parents. There are some rather big names: Ss. Philip of the Twelve, Emperor Justinian, Empress Theodora, and Gregory Palamas.

It wasn't until a few hours before my Chrismation that I knew for certain that St. Philip had chosen me. If it had been up to me, I would have picked St. Gregory. I still ask all four of them (Ss. Philip, George, Justinian, and Gregory) to pray for me, though.

-Philip.

 

[WickedServant]

I can't get those sites, I already tried... I think it's this computer, too many pics or too much background, and forget it...

First name ---> Kevin

Birthday ---> July 20

Well since becomming a Christian in '99, I've always felt a kinship to Saint Paul the Apostle (we both hated God's Christians before *miraculous* conversion)

I was baptized before, but I think under the teaching that nothing necessarily happens during baptism (in regards to the Spirit) If so, would I be baptized in Orthodoxy?

Does the Priest perform an exorcism during any baptism? Can anyone explain why?

Bless me

 

[gzt]

You probably would not be baptized, but we can't say, not knowing who your bishop is/would be. It was done in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, right? Yes, priests pray prayers of exorcism before baptism, they're self-explanatory. Here's the first of the four prayers fo exorcism:

The Lord rebukes you, O devil, He that came into the world and made His dwelling among men, that He might cast down your tyranny, and deliver men; He that upon the Tree triumphed over the opposing powers, when the sun was darkened, and the earth was shaken, and the tombs were opened, and the bodies of the Saints arose; He that by death destroyed Death, and overcame him that held the might of death, that is, even you, O devil. I adjure you by the Living God, Who has shown forth the Tree of Life, and posted the Cherubim, and the flaming sword that turns about to guard this: be rebuked, and depart, for I forbid you, through Him that walks on the waves of the sea as upon the dry land, Who forbade the storm of the winds, Whose glance dries up the deep, and Whose threatenings melt the mountains; for it is He Himself that now forbids you through us. Be afraid, and depart, and absent yourself from this creature, and come not back, neither hide yourself in him (her), nor encounter him (her), nor influence him (her) either by night or by day, nor in the morning or at noon; but get you hence to your own Tartarus, until the appointed day of Judgment. Fear God , Who sits on the throne of the Cherubim, and looks upon the depths, before Whom tremble Angels, Archangels, Thrones, Principalities, Authorities, Powers, the many-eyed Cherubim, and the six-winged Seraphim; Whom Heaven and earth fear, the sea, and all that live therein. Come forth, and depart from the sealed and newly-enlisted soldier of Christ our God; for I adjure you by Him that rides upon the wings of the winds, Who makes His Angels spirits and His Ministers a flame of fire. Come forth, and from this creature which He fashioned depart with all your power and might; for glorified is the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, both now and ever, and to the ages of ages. Amen.

Here's the third:

O Lord of Sabaoth, the God of Israel, Who heals every sickness and every wound, Look down upon this Your servant (Name); search out and try him (her), driving away from him (her) every operation of the devil. Rebuke the unclean spirits and expel them, cleansing the work of Your hands; and, using Your trenchant energy, beat down Satan under his (her) feet, giving him (her) victory over him, and over his unclean spirits; so that, obtaining the mercy that comes from You, he (she) may be accounted worthy of Your Immortal and Heavenly Mysteries, and may send up all glory to You, to Father, and to Son, and to Holy Spirit, both now and ever, and to the ages of ages. Amen.

Don't worry so much about choosing a patron saint, you don't have to worry about that for a long time and you should see what your priest wants you to do first. He may just want you to take the name Kevin, St. Kevin is a great saint. A friend of mine wrote a children's book about him.

 

[ExOrienteLux]

Here's the Saints commemorated on your birthday:

Holy Prophet Elijah
St. Abramius of Galich
St. Athanasius of Brest-Litovsk
Martyr Maria Skobtsova
Hieromartyr Demetrius Klepinine
Hieromartyr Alexei Medvedkov

The Saints commemorated eight days after your birthday (when you would have been baptised):

St. Panteleimon the Unmercenary
St. Nicholas Kochanov, Fool for Christ
St. Anthusa of Mantinea
St. Clement of Ochrid
Ss. Angelar, Gorazd, Nahum, and Sava, disciples of Ss. Cyril and Methodius

And those commemorated 40 days after (when you would have been churched):

St. Moses the Black
St. Job of Pochaev
Righteous Anna the Prophetess
St. Susanna of Georgia
St. Sava of Pskov
Righteous Hezekiah the King

Here's a good starter list. Some of the names on that list should be familiar (esp. Ss. Elijah, Panteleimon, Moses and Anna). Hope this helps some.

-Philip.

 

[Marjorie]

Kevin,

A good book to read on baptism is Of Water and the Spirit by Fr. Alexander Schmemann. *another Schmemann plug!!!*

In IC XC,
Marjorie

 

[michaeldimmickjr]

Could someone tell me where I can see a list with information on the Patron Saints with there days also? Thank you very much!


In Him,

Michael

 

[DivineFiliation]

I'm always so anxious to chime in here with my 2cents worth, then I realize that sometimes my Catholic "opinion" or background may not jive with the Orthodox way. For example, I was so quick to answer, "SAINT CECILIA!!!" then I realized that you probably don't have the same St. Cecilia that I was speaking of.

 

[ExOrienteLux]

Go to www.oca.org, click on the link on the left side that says "Feasts and Saints", and there you can put in any name or date to see what saints are commemorated on what day. I find this to be one of the easier listings to navigate.

Shakkai, the only St. Cecilia that I know of died a Virgin-Martyr under the pagan persecutions in Rome. Is that the one you're thinking of or is there another one for RCs? Her feast-day is 22 November.

-Philip.

 

[DivineFiliation]

The St. Cecilia was a martyr yes. She is the patron saint of music (hence, why she is my confirmation saint). She was in an arrangmed marriage, but her husband "allowed" her to continue to serve God and she stayed a virgin. She also converted her husband from paganism to Christianity. Is that the same one?

 

[icxn]

What is wrong with Kevin? St. Kevin of Glendalough is a wonderful saint.

icxn

 

[WickedServant]

Here's the Saints commemorated on your birthday:

Holy Prophet Elijah
St. Abramius of Galich
St. Athanasius of Brest-Litovsk
Martyr Maria Skobtsova
Hieromartyr Demetrius Klepinine
Hieromartyr Alexei Medvedkov

The Saints commemorated eight days after your birthday (when you would have been baptised):

St. Panteleimon the Unmercenary
St. Nicholas Kochanov, Fool for Christ
St. Anthusa of Mantinea
St. Clement of Ochrid
Ss. Angelar, Gorazd, Nahum, and Sava, disciples of Ss. Cyril and Methodius

And those commemorated 40 days after (when you would have been churched):

St. Moses the Black
St. Job of Pochaev
Righteous Anna the Prophetess
St. Susanna of Georgia
St. Sava of Pskov
Righteous Hezekiah the King

Here's a good starter list. Some of the names on that list should be familiar (esp. Ss. Elijah, Panteleimon, Moses and Anna). Hope this helps some.

-Philip.

Thank you kindly. I'm not entirely sure, but the date of my conversion (Monday September 13 1999) has always surfaced in my thoughts as having a significance other than those I realize... So does the Holy Prophet Elisha...

ARRG

Thank you all. I'm gonna try the oca site again, if my computer will load it.

please oh please God make it work

Bless me