Name days?

[Suzannah]

Please help me out. I have been told I need to pick a saint. (I'm told there's no rush) but I'm confused as to how one chooses "their" Saint. Does one have to pick a Saint of the same gender and actual first name?

 

[Oblio]

AFAIK Gender, yes; Name, no

 

[Suzannah]

AFAIK??? What does that mean???LOL!

So it must a saint of the same gender, but not necessarily the same name?

 

[Oblio]

As Far As I Know

You will be known liturgically by your Saint's name. You sure wouldn't want to be known as Thomas or Mark, or Paul when recieving/participating in the Holy Mysteries.

 

[Matrona]

It doesn't *have* to be a saint of the same gender, but most people's patron saints are the same gender because of the name. Many women choose to be named Seraphima, after St. Seraphim of Sarov, one of Orthodoxy's most beloved male saints. If you find that a male saint is your patron, ask your priest what baptismal name you should take after his.

Also, it is acceptable to have the Mother of God herself as your patron--women named after her are often called Maria or Panagiota (men are called Panagiotis).

Most people would prefer to say that their patron saint chose them, not the other way around. That's what I would say about my patron saint, St. Matrona of Chios, anyway. When I read her life story it dwelled on my heart, and I prayed, asking God if this was who He intended to be my heavenly patron. Within the space of a day, I knew it was so.

Her story, among others, is located at this site: http://home.it.net.au/~jgrapsas/pages/lives.htm (She is listed under March 27th but her actual feast day is October 20th; a different Matrona entirely is celebrated on March 27th.)

 

[Suzannah]

Oblio: Thomasina??? Paula??? Well, okay I can't think of a feminine form of Mark ....LOL!

Matrona: that's kind of how I feel. I feel funny about the name "Columba" but I truly feel that this Saint has kept watch on our clan....
Columbina is a Latin feminine version...I will ask my Priest of course, but any opinions would be welcome!

 

[ChoirDir]

I think with all you have investigated into Columba would be appropriate. You said he belonged to your family's clan and you have prayed to him. A feminine derivative of Columba might be the best choice. Just MO tho

 

[Suzannah]

Oblio? What are your thoughts? St. Columba is in direct line of my family's clan. We are descended from one of his brothers and what is your opinion of a female version of his name?

 

[Oblio]

I think it sounds like a good idea, run it by your priest for his opinion.

 

[Reader Nilus]

My priest was thinking I would pick St Irenaeus, he was surprized when I told him St Nilus of Sora. When I read about St Nilus, I knew he was my patron, and so there was no question.
Jeff the Finn

 

[Nikolas222]

hold on...

I can choose who is my patron, even though ive already been baptized?

 

[Matrona]

Matrona: that's kind of how I feel. I feel funny about the name "Columba" but I truly feel that this Saint has kept watch on our clan....
Columbina is a Latin feminine version...I will ask my Priest of course, but any opinions would be welcome!

Columbina would be perfect for you! You will be named for your great (great-great-great-great-great...) uncle!

 

[Photini]

Please help me out. I have been told I need to pick a saint. (I'm told there's no rush) but I'm confused as to how one chooses "their" Saint. Does one have to pick a Saint of the same gender and actual first name?

My Saint chose me. I had a couple of others picked out, and was pretty indecisive...right up until about a week or two before my Baptism. Her name kept coming up, and stories about her. It just felt right. Just try to read the lives of the Saints, and when a story really touches you...take it into consideration.

P.S. After looking at the little Icon I have of St Photini, more than one person has even told me that I even look like her.

 

[ChoirDir]

This was a much easier task for me since I was born Thomas.

 

[Suzannah]

Thank you so much to everyone! I will ask Father James about this tonight, but I know already that he is very happy about my connection to St. Columba so I have a feeling I know what he is going to say. (SEe the small blurb about what happened on my CF homepage.)

Hommededieu: I'm not sure about this. I hope someone else will answer better. I am a convert so I have not been baptised yet. My understanding is, once I have gone through as a catechumen, I will be baptised with the name of the Saint that I choose, and that this will be my new name as a Christian. If you were already baptised, perhaps you could ask your parents who your patron is? Or if they had chosen one for you???

 

[Orthodox Andrew]

hold on...

I can choose who is my patron, even though ive already been baptized?

I don't think so.

 

[Orthosdoxa]

I was leaning towards St. Photini - but in the end, my priest chose St. Katherine for me, as he said I was much like her in that I would not accept anything until I had investigated it down to its bare bones. I happily accepted his choice.

 

[Matthias]

Good choice.

 

[Epiphany]

Please help me out. I have been told I need to pick a saint. (I'm told there's no rush) but I'm confused as to how one chooses "their" Saint. Does one have to pick a Saint of the same gender and actual first name?

To Life Immortal

My name day is 21 May for St Helen. Eleni is my second name and my birthday is 19 May. So I guess that's how I got my saint

Peace and Long Life
~*~ Epiphany ~*~

 

[Suzannah]

Good to see you Elena! Thanks for responding!

Thanks everyone for helping....I spoke to Father James today about whether it would be appropriate to have St. Columba as my Saint and he nodded and said, "We'll make his feast day the day of your baptism." June 9 is the day for St. Columba!! Yippee!