Almost every Catholic nation has a patron saint (or a title of Our Lady) chosen to pray for its people. Ireland has St. Patrick, Mexico Our Lady of Guadalupe, the United States the Immaculate Conception, and Europe a whole group of patron saints. Many of these patronages were confirmed by popes at the request of the bishops of the country, and their feast days are celebrated with special solemnity there.
Below is a list of the patron saints of countries, with their feast days, and the story behind some of the best-known.
Patron saints of countries: A to Z
| Country | Patron saint or title | Feast day |
|---|---|---|
| Argentina | Our Lady of Luján | May 8 |
| Australia | Our Lady Help of Christians | May 24 |
| Austria | St. Leopold III | November 15 |
| Belgium | St. Joseph | March 19 |
| Brazil | Our Lady of Aparecida | October 12 |
| Canada | St. Joseph (with St. Anne for Quebec) | March 19 |
| Chile | Our Lady of Mount Carmel | July 16 |
| China | St. Joseph; Our Lady, Queen of China | March 19 |
| Colombia | Our Lady of the Rosary of Chiquinquirá | July 9 |
| Costa Rica | Our Lady of the Angels | August 2 |
| Croatia | St. Joseph | March 19 |
| Cuba | Our Lady of Charity of El Cobre | September 8 |
| Czech Republic | St. Wenceslaus | September 28 |
| Dominican Republic | Our Lady of Altagracia | January 21 |
| England | St. George | April 23 |
| France | Our Lady of the Assumption; St. Joan of Arc; St. Thérèse of Lisieux | August 15 |
| Germany | St. Boniface, the Apostle of Germany | June 5 |
| Haiti | Our Lady of Perpetual Help | June 27 |
| Hungary | St. Stephen of Hungary | August 16 (August 20 in Hungary) |
| Ireland | St. Patrick, with St. Brigid and St. Columba | March 17 |
| Italy | St. Francis of Assisi and St. Catherine of Siena | October 4; April 29 |
| Korea | The Immaculate Conception and St. Joseph | December 8 |
| Lebanon | Our Lady of Lebanon | first Sunday of May |
| Lithuania | St. Casimir | March 4 |
| Malta | St. Paul the Apostle | February 10 (his shipwreck) |
| Mexico | Our Lady of Guadalupe | December 12 |
| Netherlands | St. Willibrord | November 7 |
| New Zealand | Our Lady of the Assumption | August 15 |
| Nicaragua | The Immaculate Conception (La Purísima) | December 8 |
| Norway | St. Olaf | July 29 |
| Paraguay | Our Lady of the Miracles of Caacupé | December 8 |
| Peru | St. Rose of Lima | August 23 (August 30 in Peru) |
| Philippines | The Immaculate Conception | December 8 |
| Poland | Our Lady of Częstochowa, Queen of Poland; Sts. Stanislaus and Adalbert | August 26 |
| Portugal | The Immaculate Conception | December 8 |
| Puerto Rico | Our Lady of Divine Providence | November 19 |
| Russia | St. Andrew and St. Nicholas | November 30; December 6 |
| Scotland | St. Andrew | November 30 |
| Slovakia | Our Lady of Sorrows | September 15 |
| Spain | St. James the Greater; the Immaculate Conception | July 25; December 8 |
| Sweden | St. Bridget | July 23 |
| Switzerland | St. Nicholas of Flüe | September 25 |
| United States | The Immaculate Conception | December 8 |
| Uruguay | Our Lady of the Thirty-Three | November 8 |
| Venezuela | Our Lady of Coromoto | September 11 |
| Wales | St. David | March 1 |
Patrons of continents
| Region | Patron saints |
|---|---|
| Europe | St. Benedict; Sts. Cyril and Methodius; St. Bridget of Sweden; St. Catherine of Siena; St. Teresa Benedicta of the Cross (Edith Stein) |
| The Americas | Our Lady of Guadalupe; St. Rose of Lima |
| The whole Church | St. Joseph, Patron of the Universal Church |
Who is the patron saint of Ireland?
St. Patrick (c. 385–461) is the principal patron of Ireland, with St. Brigid of Kildare (February 1) and St. Columba (June 9). Captured from Roman Britain as a teenager and enslaved in Ireland, Patrick escaped, became a priest and bishop, and returned to preach the Gospel to the people who had enslaved him. His feast, March 17, is a holy day in Ireland and is celebrated by the Irish around the world. The prayer known as St. Patrick’s Breastplate is attributed to him.
Who is the patron saint of the United States?
Mary, under the title of the Immaculate Conception. In 1846 the bishops of the United States chose her as patroness of the nation, and Pope Pius IX confirmed it in 1847. The National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington, D.C., is dedicated to her, and her feast, December 8, is a holy day of obligation. See the Immaculate Conception.
Who is the patron saint of Mexico?
Our Lady of Guadalupe, who appeared to St. Juan Diego in 1531. She is also patroness of all the Americas. Her feast is December 12; see the Our Lady of Guadalupe novena.
Who are the patron saints of England, Scotland and Wales?
St. George (April 23), the soldier-martyr, for England; St. Andrew (November 30), the apostle, for Scotland; and St. David (March 1), the sixth-century bishop, for Wales. England is also called the “Dowry of Mary,” and was rededicated to Our Lady in 2020.
How is a patron saint of a country chosen?
The bishops of the country choose a patron, usually one with a deep historical connection to the nation (the saint who first preached the Gospel there, a native saint, or a title of Mary venerated at a national shrine), and ask the Holy See to confirm the choice. Many patronages are centuries old; some were confirmed only in the last century.
A prayer for your country
Written for this page:
Holy patron of our country, (name),
pray for our nation and all who live in it.
Ask God to give our leaders wisdom and justice,
our families peace, the poor help and the sick healing,
and to keep our people faithful to the Gospel. Amen.
Frequently asked questions
Can a country have more than one patron saint?
Yes. Many have a principal patron and one or more secondary patrons, such as France and Ireland.
Who is the patron saint of Italy?
St. Francis of Assisi and St. Catherine of Siena, named together by Pius XII in 1939.
Who is the patron saint of the Philippines?
The Immaculate Conception, with Sts. Pudentiana and Rose of Lima as secondary patrons. The Philippines also venerates its own saints, Lorenzo Ruiz and Pedro Calungsod.
More patron saints
- St. Patrick’s Day (March 17)
- St. George prayer (England)
- St. Rose of Lima prayer (Peru and Latin America)
- St. Joan of Arc prayer (France)
- Santo Niño novena (Philippines)
- St. Patrick’s Breastplate
- Patron saints: the complete list for every need
- Saint of the day
- All Saints’ Day
- The Litany of the Saints
Sources
- Feast days follow the General Roman Calendar, the national calendars of each country and the Roman Martyrology.
- Patronages: decrees of the Holy See confirming national patrons (for example Pius IX, 1847, for the United States; Pius XII, 1939, for Italy).
- The prayer was written for this page.