Choosing my patron saint!

[Shieldmaiden4Christ]

Perhaps I'm getting a bit ahead of myself, but I'm trying to read more into the lives of the saints to choose my patron saint. History about myself: my Catholic confirmation saint was not actually a saint, but instead Blessed Hildegard von Bingen. At any rate, I'm looking for an Orthodox saint. My given name is an Irish version of the name Catherine, so I'm somewhat partial to St. Catherine of Alexandria. However, I'm looking for more input and ideas.

 

[gurneyhalleck1]

My wife, Kate (Katherine) chose St. Catherine of Alexandria!!! Good choice!! Her intercession has blessed Kate!! I say go for it, sister!!!! 😎😎

 

[Shieldmaiden4Christ]

Well, while I'm very partial to St. Catherine of Alexandria, I'm also looking into St. Kassia (Kassiane/Kassiani) because she led a pretty fascinating life.

 

[gzt]

Frankly, I'd suggest going with Katherine (or whatever spelling your prefer), since that is essentially your name. Your Irish version of her name is just as much her name as "Ekaterina" or any other common variant. This is the most reasonable way.

Or you could go with Hilda, since St Hilda of Whitby is a saint in Orthodoxy - another learned saint.

 

[ceruleanbutterfly]

If you don't mind changing your name, then find the Saint that is most who you want to be and chose that one. I chose Saint Elizabeth New Martyr of Russia as she personified the principles of Martha and Mary at the same time.

 

[SteveNZ]

Removed- Asked a question out of place. Bless you all heaps.

 

[truefiction1]

Removed- Asked a question out of place. Bless you all heaps.

Being named David (my patron saint) I'm named after a very repentant man. May I consider his great Faith and his exemplary repentance, making it a powerful force in the context of my own life. May he also keep me in his prayers.

 

[truefiction1]

I'd say Katherine. But it's only my humble opinion.

 

[~Anastasia~]

Katherine would be wonderful, I think.

But you never know. I chose St. Anna (part of my name) the mother of the Theotokos. At my baptism, I found out my Nouna's family was naming me, lol. Anastasia, which I actually love very much for a number of reasons, but then when I looked up St. Anastasia, who I had not known, I discovered that she and I had a surprisingly great deal in common ...

But I think Katherine is great. If you're not in a hurry, it seems you could keep reading, considering, and praying though.

 

[E.C.]

I thought about St. Edward the Confessor since he's my middle namesake, but I eventually decided that since becoming Orthodoxy would be a new life that I needed a new name.

Read a book on the lives of the saints and St. Constantine the Great simply spoke to me more than the rest of them.


Take your time and pray over it. You don't choose the saint, the saint chooses you

 

[gurneyhalleck1]

When I first studied Orthodoxy, I fell in love with Maximos the Confessor. Not only is he a BRILLIANT mind as a saint, but his story of pain and suffering for Christ that made him a confessor rather than full-on martyr, it really was powerful to me. I loved him. So I considered taking Maximos as my chrismation name.

Then I told my mom about that, and despite her being a Catholic, she was still sad. She gave me the middle name "Joseph" as a baby and baptized me as Joseph. Father told me that he thought it to be something I might want to stick with or that Maximos would be fine, too. But I not only thought about how much I hated to disappoint my mom, but also that it was my name at baptism. I am unwilling to say my baptism as a Catholic was fruitless and empty. I believe it was a full "valid" baptism, and that I have been JOSEPH all these years. I've always admired St. Joseph, too. Then I thought about what a good step father he was.....guardian and caregiver to THE SON OF MAN! Then I thought about how much he respected his wife--the Theotokos. He remained pure upon marrying her all the way to his death. Good dad, good husband, good man!

It was an easy choice---Joseph all the way.

This Sunday I'll be "Reader Joseph" for the first time!

 

[gzt]

They're giving you the little haircut already? Congrats, then.

 

[~Anastasia~]

When I first studied Orthodoxy, I fell in love with Maximos the Confessor. Not only is he a BRILLIANT mind as a saint, but his story of pain and suffering for Christ that made him a confessor rather than full-on martyr, it really was powerful to me. I loved him. So I considered taking Maximos as my chrismation name.

Then I told my mom about that, and despite her being a Catholic, she was still sad. She gave me the middle name "Joseph" as a baby and baptized me as Joseph. Father told me that he thought it to be something I might want to stick with or that Maximos would be fine, too. But I not only thought about how much I hated to disappoint my mom, but also that it was my name at baptism. I am unwilling to say my baptism as a Catholic was fruitless and empty. I believe it was a full "valid" baptism, and that I have been JOSEPH all these years. I've always admired St. Joseph, too. Then I thought about what a good step father he was.....guardian and caregiver to THE SON OF MAN! Then I thought about how much he respected his wife--the Theotokos. He remained pure upon marrying her all the way to his death. Good dad, good husband, good man!

It was an easy choice---Joseph all the way.

This Sunday I'll be "Reader Joseph" for the first time!

Congratulations!

Beautiful story too.

 

[ArmyMatt]

I would pray and see what saint you are close to. my personal advice is to go with Katherine since that is your name.

plus, just because you have one patron, you can get close to as many saints as you want. for some reason, I have a devotion to St Raphael of Brooklyn, although I am not named for him or anything. there was just something about his life that rang with me.

 

[ArmyMatt]

When I first studied Orthodoxy, I fell in love with Maximos the Confessor. Not only is he a BRILLIANT mind as a saint, but his story of pain and suffering for Christ that made him a confessor rather than full-on martyr, it really was powerful to me. I loved him. So I considered taking Maximos as my chrismation name.

Then I told my mom about that, and despite her being a Catholic, she was still sad. She gave me the middle name "Joseph" as a baby and baptized me as Joseph. Father told me that he thought it to be something I might want to stick with or that Maximos would be fine, too. But I not only thought about how much I hated to disappoint my mom, but also that it was my name at baptism. I am unwilling to say my baptism as a Catholic was fruitless and empty. I believe it was a full "valid" baptism, and that I have been JOSEPH all these years. I've always admired St. Joseph, too. Then I thought about what a good step father he was.....guardian and caregiver to THE SON OF MAN! Then I thought about how much he respected his wife--the Theotokos. He remained pure upon marrying her all the way to his death. Good dad, good husband, good man!

It was an easy choice---Joseph all the way.

This Sunday I'll be "Reader Joseph" for the first time!

I had a similar taking to St Herman of Alaska when I first looked at Orthodoxy, seeing the grace and miracles and love from the Scripture in the 1800's in America. I went with Matthew when I had some discussions with my priest and found out St Matthew had been watching me all my life.

and a preemptive AXIOS, my friend.

 

[~Anastasia~]

Some interesting points.

I have a whole list of Saints I'm very taken with.

I am still a bit ... surprised I guess ... about St. Anastasia. It's funny that my godfamily chose the name without knowing things about me (and I knew nothing about St. Anastasia) but when I read about her, there were some really amazing parallels.