The Saints of the Church

Saint Nicholas of Myra

Secret gift-giving, defender of orthodoxy at Nicaea, basis for Santa Claus

Patron of: children, sailors...

Saint Edith Stein (Teresa Benedicta of the Cross)

Jewish convert, brilliant philosopher, Carmelite nun, martyr at Auschwitz

Patron of: Europe, loss of parents...

Saint Aloysius Gonzaga

Angelic purity, giving up a noble title, dying while caring for plague victims

Patron of: youth, students...

Saint Elizabeth of Hungary

Royal princess serving the poor, miracle of the roses, Franciscan tertiary

Patron of: bakers, beggars...

Saint John Vianney

The Curé of Ars, patron of parish priests, spending 16 hours a day in confession

Patron of: parish priests, confessors

Saint Rose of Lima

First saint of the Americas, extreme penance, mystic

Patron of: the Americas, Peru...

Saint Maximilian

Early Christian martyr

Saint Philip Neri

Apostle of Rome, humor, founding the Oratorians, enlarged heart

Patron of: Rome, US Special Forces...

Saint Teresa of Calcutta (Mother Teresa)

Founding the Missionaries of Charity, serving the poorest of the poor, Nobel Peace Prize

Patron of: World Youth Day, Missionaries of Charity...

Saint Sebastian

Surviving execution by arrows, patron of athletes

Patron of: athletes, archers...

Saint Lucy

Virgin martyr, eyes gouged out, patron of the blind

Patron of: the blind, eye illness...

Saint Cecilia

Patroness of music, singing to God while dying

Patron of: musicians, composers...