Many parents choose to name their children after saints, believing these figures offer lifelong guidance. Saints are often invoked for support during illness, financial hardships, or major life decisions like marriage. However, not all patron saints are as renowned as St. Nicholas. Some individuals adopt unconventional patron saints, not always endorsed by the Church, and even some Church-recognized saints are linked to rather unsettling, if intriguing, aspects. Below are ten of the most unusual saints you might find fascinating.
Santa Muerte: The Patron Saint of Holy Death
In Mexico, Santa Muerte is a widely revered figure not recognised by the Catholic Church. According to followers who began worshipping her in the mid-1990s, Santa Muerte protects against evil, heals the sick, and guides the deceased to the afterlife. Initially depicted as male, she is now portrayed as a skeletal woman in robes, wielding a scythe and a globe. Both Catholic and Protestant churches have disavowed her despite her widespread popularity across the Americas.
St. Joseph: Patron Saint of House Sellers
Although Joseph, the stepfather of Jesus and a carpenter, is not officially invoked for home sales, many swear by the practice of burying a St. Joseph statue to hasten property transactions. If you’re buying a house, you might want to check the garden just in case!
St. Jesus Malverde: Patron Saint of Drug Dealers
Not officially recognised by any church, Jesus Malverde became a cult figure after his execution by law enforcement in 1909 in Sinaloa, Mexico. Known for his supposed invincibility to bullets, Malverde now has a shrine in Culiacán, visited by many, including possibly some from the DEA.
St. Cyprian of Antioch: Patron Saint of Sorcerers
Before converting to Christianity, Cyprian of Antioch was a sorcerer who allegedly commanded demons. After failing to harm St. Justina with his dark arts, he converted, and they were later martyred together. Those dabbling in the mystical might find him a fascinating figure.
St. Edward the Confessor: Patron Saint of Difficult Marriages
Edward the Confessor, once King of England, is known for his troubled marriage which he entered despite a vow of chastity. He spent his later years in celibacy and is now considered a patron for those in difficult marriages.
St. Denis: Patron Saint of Headaches
As the first bishop of Paris, St. Denis was executed by beheading. Legend has it that his decapitated body picked up his own head post-mortem. Whether he suffered from headaches is unknown, but his story certainly ties in.
St. Lydwina: Patron Saint of Ice Skaters
Lydwina, a devout young woman from a poor Dutch family, turned to a life of prayer after a skating accident left her unable to pursue her passion, enduring much suffering until her death.
St. Isidore of Seville: Patron Saint of the Internet
Isidore of Seville, a scholar who struggled academically until divine intervention supposedly aided his studies, is now humorously dubbed the patron saint of the internet by some, due to his early contributions to written knowledge.
St. Anthony of Padua: Patron Saint of Lost Things
Widely revered across various Christian denominations, St. Anthony helps those searching for lost items—from sentimental valuables to everyday objects.
St. Apollonia: Patron Saint of Toothaches
In 3rd-century Alexandria, Apollonia was martyred during a Christian persecution, choosing death by fire after a mob violently extracted all her teeth. She is now invoked by those suffering from toothaches.
These saints, whether officially recognised or not, reflect the diverse and sometimes peculiar aspects of faith and devotion across cultures.