What are Patron Saints? | GotQuestions.org

Hi there, many others like you have asked, what are patron saints? Let's find out, shall we? You can discover even more on GotQuestions .org. In Catholic thinking, a saint is a deceased individual who achieved a notable degree of holiness and is officially declared to be an intercessor the living may pray to.

The Catholic Idea of Patron Saints

A patron saint is a saint who is looked to for protection and intercession by a person, a guild, or a place. This Catholic teaching conflicts with the biblical definition of a saint. Biblically, there is no such thing as a patron saint.

Saints Made Holy in Christ

Scripturally, a saint is anyone who has come to faith in Christ and is thereby made righteous. We have been made holy through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once and for all, for by one sacrifice he has made perfect forever those who are being made holy.

Although Christians should live saintly lives, Paul writes in 1 Corinthians that even saints can fail. In Roman Catholic theology, no one can be sure of his or her sanctification. However, there are some exemplary people that the church is confident of their eternal destiny and so canonizes them.

Catholic Intercession and Excess Righteousness

According to Catholic doctrine, these righteous saints have excess righteousness that can make up for human deficiencies. In Roman Catholic practice, a petitioner can request help from a saint if they aren't righteous enough to get direct help from God.

The saint will then take the request to the Father or the Son. Official Catholic teaching would say that Catholics are not praying to saints, but asking the saints to pray with them. However, the average Roman Catholic prays directly to saints.

Mary is by far the most important saint due to a mother's influence over her son. But there are many other patron saints who have specialized areas of interest and expertise. If a person is named after a saint or born on a particular saint's day, then it is assumed that that saint will take a particular interest in the needs of that person.

Patron saints are also determined by interests, hobbies, activities, and professions. These examples of patron saints have obvious connections. Patron saints are seen as providing protection and answering prayers.

Pagan Roots of Patron Deities

Unfortunately, the idea of patron saints has its roots in paganism. An example lies with the patron deities of the Roman Empire. Each deity had a particular realm of operation. Each trade, guild, and profession had a patron deity.

If you had a problem in a particular area, your prayers and sacrifices would be directed to that deity. Luke records that Paul and his companions were taken aboard a ship whose owners aligned with patron deities.

Additionally, Baal of Peor in Numbers 25 is an example of a patron god worshipped by the Moabites. In conclusion, the New Testament discounts the idea of patron saints, clearly teaching that all believers are saints and that we have no righteousness of our own.

The Believer's Direct Access to God

Our only righteousness is the imputed righteousness of Christ. No believer, a saint by definition, needs another saint to get God's attention. Rather, he can go to God directly. So that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.

Alright, that answers your question, what are patron saints?