Finding a Patron Saint

[Merganser]

It was recently suggested to me that I start looking seriously into choosing a patron saint. I already share a name with some saints, but I do want to learn more about the other saints if I connect with another more strongly. Being female, should I be looking only at other female saints? Also, what are some good resources for finding Orthodox saints? I have some books that offer a short biography of a saint for every day of the year, but even that only has about 370 listed. I will continue to pray for God's guidance on the matter, but I think it's a good idea to learn more about the saints in general.

 

[Knee V]

My suggestion to anyone who asks is always to use one's name if one's name is the name of a saint. Then again, I'm no priest.

 

[~Anastasia~]

I will say this too ... You may have a patron Saint whose name you bear, but that doesn't mean you won't or can't find others that you will have an affinity with and develop a relationship with. It's not a decision that will limit you.

I was baptized Anastasia, and I find her a very fitting Saint for me for several reasons. The meaning of the name is even more precious to me. But there are certainly other Saints who I am very grateful to and admire very much.

 

[~Anastasia~]

My suggestion to anyone who asks is always to use one's name if one's name is the name of a saint. Then again, I'm no priest.

That's what my priest said, and was my plan. My middle name is a Saint's name, and was easier for the older people to remember, so I thought I'd use that and many call me that (Anna). But my new family had other plans and wanted to name me Anastasia, so I accepted it. My Godfamily call me Anastasia now. Father calls me by my longer name. So I have to listen for lots of different names at Church, lol.

 

[gzt]

General guidance: if your name (or middle name, if applicable) is a saint's name, do that. Otherwise, reasonable suggestions are to look on your birthday (both Old and New Calendar), consider saints that have been important in your life, saints who had a similar occupation or calling to you, etc. One of these should pop up something. This isn't something you should fret too much about. If it becomes a worry, have one assigned to you.

 

[Merganser]

General guidance: if your name (or middle name, if applicable) is a saint's name, do that. Otherwise, reasonable suggestions are to look on your birthday (both Old and New Calendar), consider saints that have been important in your life, saints who had a similar occupation or calling to you, etc. One of these should pop up something. This isn't something you should fret too much about. If it becomes a worry, have one assigned to you.

Thanks for the suggestions. I grew up Protestant, so my only interaction with saints at home was being able to recognize them in Renaissance paintings. I'm not hugely concerned with finding a patron saint soon, but the concept is still a bit new to me. My priest wants me to find a saint for myself, so I don't think getting one assigned is an option.

My suggestion to anyone who asks is always to use one's name if one's name is the name of a saint. Then again, I'm no priest.

I don't mind using one of saints who shares my name, but my priest mentioned that I shouldn't feel restricted in choosing a patron saint.

 

[~Anastasia~]

Btw, Merganser, I see you've been a member for a while, but haven't been posting. If you're just now rejoining us, I wanted to say - welcome to CF, and to TAW! We are very glad to have you!

 

[ArmyMatt]

most important is to talk to your priest. he can help you find a saint you might feel close to, especially one that shares your name.

 

[Merganser]

Btw, Merganser, I see you've been a member for a while, but haven't been posting. If you're just now rejoining us, I wanted to say - welcome to CF, and to TAW! We are very glad to have you!

Thanks you, Kylissa! I mostly tend to lurk rather than post. Presently, I'm a catechumen, so still have a lot to learn about being Orthodox.

 

[~Anastasia~]

Thanks you, Kylissa! I mostly tend to lurk rather than post. Presently, I'm a catechumen, so still have a lot to learn about being Orthodox.

I think that the more we learn about Orthodoxy ... the more we realize there is we haven't yet learned.

Thankfully salvation doesn't come from knowing it all. But learning is always good.

Father just began a new catechesis series, and I asked if I could attend, which he of course welcomes anyone. And as I expected, I still learned a few new things in the first class, where Father spoke for an hour about the icons in our Church. There's just ALWAYS more that can be said.

 

[Merganser]

Yes, I greatly enjoy reading more books, listening to more podcasts, and just continuing to learn in general. I was once told that one never stops being a student. It doesn't matter how many letters are tacked onto the end of a person's name, there is always something more to learn.

 

[ikonographics]

Aside from choosing a saint that has your name, the other thing you can do is to pray that the saint that wants to be your patron will reveal themself, though it's probably best to get your spiritual father's blessing to do this. Some years ago when I was back in South Africa and was catechising some teenage girls in preparation for baptism, my future god-daughter asked me to choose the name she would receive. I told her that I couldn't choose the name but would pray that the saint who wanted to be her patron would reveal him/herself. I though that it would be good if it were a saint from Africa or a theologian ( as at the time she was interested in studying theology) or a saint from Greece so that if she came to Greece she would be able to visit the place where the saint lived. I started praying and opened up a calendar with the saints listed in alphabetical order. I took note of a few names, but none of them really clicked until I came to St Nektarios. Something made me stop there. I found the synaxarion and read his life and felt more sure that something was happening. Then I read his akathist and it hit me like a lightning bolt! He was a saint from Africa ( Metropolitan of Pentapolis), he was a theologian who studied theology at the University of Athens and he was in Greece!!! So she was baptised Nektaria and St Nektarios became not only her patron, but mine as well!

 

[Merganser]

Ikonographics, thank you for the response. My priest did encourage me to pray for a patron saint to reveal themself which I have been doing.

For me, it seems like the default saint would be St. Elizabeth, mother of John the Baptist. I know there are other St. Elizabeths, and I intend to do more thorough reading about them. In university, I'm studying to be a linguist, so Ss. Cyril and Methodius interest me in that regard. I don't know who the patron saint of horses/equestrians is, and horses still define a large part of who I am. I also find myself drawn to St. John of Shanghai and San Francisco because I was born in China (not too far from Shanghai) and spent part of my life in an orphanage. I don't know the names of any other saints with a connection to China, though I was told there are some martyrs from the Boxer Rebellion. Mostly, I've found saints I think are interesting, but none have really struck me as a patron saint.

 

[~Anastasia~]

I absolutely love St. John Maximovitch since listening to a podcast series about him on The Illumined Heart on AFR. It's numbers 123 to 129, so there are some hours' of listening. I've linked to the first one, but iirc, it gets much better in the last couple of episodes and the epilogue (though his life in China is more in the earlier ones I think?). If you are at all considering him, you might want to listen to these. It's wonderful to hear first-hand accounts of those who knew him and served with him. A very interesting window into his life and personality.

 

[Merganser]

I absolutely love St. John Maximovitch since listening to a podcast series about him on The Illumined Heart on AFR. It's numbers 123 to 129, so there are some hours' of listening. I've linked to the first one, but iirc, it gets much better in the last couple of episodes and the epilogue (though his life in China is more in the earlier ones I think?). If you are at all considering him, you might want to listen to these. It's wonderful to hear first-hand accounts of those who knew him and served with him. A very interesting window into his life and personality.

Thank you for the link! I just finished listening to the first episode. It's absolutely incredible.

 

[~Anastasia~]

Thank you for the link! I just finished listening to the first episode. It's absolutely incredible.

I'm so glad you liked it. I've gone back and listened to it a second time, though it's what ... Six hours? Eight? (I forget.)

But of all the Saints I've learned about, he is one of two that just warm my heart SO much, and it was mostly because of listening to that series. Whether you choose him or not, he's certainly worth knowing.

 

[ikonographics]

Ikonographics, thank you for the response. My priest did encourage me to pray for a patron saint to reveal themself which I have been doing.

For me, it seems like the default saint would be St. Elizabeth, mother of John the Baptist. I know there are other St. Elizabeths, and I intend to do more thorough reading about them. In university, I'm studying to be a linguist, so Ss. Cyril and Methodius interest me in that regard. I don't know who the patron saint of horses/equestrians is, and horses still define a large part of who I am. I also find myself drawn to St. John of Shanghai and San Francisco because I was born in China (not too far from Shanghai) and spent part of my life in an orphanage. I don't know the names of any other saints with a connection to China, though I was told there are some martyrs from the Boxer Rebellion. Mostly, I've found saints I think are interesting, but none have really struck me as a patron saint.

I also dearly love St John Maximovitch! I think you you just take your priest's advice and keep praying that the saint who wants you will reveal him/herself. No doubt they will!

 

[Shieldmaiden4Christ]

I agree that you should keep praying! For me, at least, I have a variation on a saint's name already as my given name -- and it would be easiest to go with this. However, I keep feeling myself very drawn to another saint. Keep your eyes, ears and spirit open.

 

[~Anastasia~]

Is it valid at all to look at dates? There is a Saint who just somehow became very important to me, and from the most common knowledge about him, I wasn't sure why. His icons certainly drew me. And in learning more about him, I begin to see some things that really, really would have interested me, had I known them before. Then I find his feast day is my birthday.

 

[MrJim]

Since my first name is James and it's my second favorite book in Scripture (after Colossians) + my birthday is Dec 6 (St. Nicholas feast day) I always figured it will be one or the other...yet I've always had a strong dislike for the Christmas season....so it would be ironic to select St Nicholas....when that time comes I will be open to the direction given...St James or St Nicholas....