The patron saint of soldiers and of the military is St. Michael the Archangel, the leader of God’s army who “defends us in the day of battle,” and the Church honors several soldier-saints alongside him: St. George, St. Sebastian, St. Martin of Tours and St. Joan of Arc. Each of them served under arms and stayed faithful to Christ, and military men and women have carried their medals into battle for centuries. Below are the patron saints of soldiers, the patrons of each branch of the armed forces, and prayers for soldiers, for those who are deployed and for their families.
A short prayer for soldiers, written for this page:
St. Michael the Archangel, protect our soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines.
Guard them in danger, keep them faithful and honorable,
and bring them home safely to those who love them. Amen.
The patron saints of soldiers
St. Michael the Archangel
The prince of the heavenly host who cast Satan out of heaven (Apocalypse 12:7–9) is the patron of soldiers, paratroopers and police officers, and of everyone who fights for what is right. His feast, with the other archangels, is September 29. Soldiers have long prayed the prayer of Pope Leo XIII:
Holy Michael, Archangel, defend us in the day of battle;
be our safeguard against the wickedness and snares of the devil.
May God rebuke him, we humbly pray;
and do thou, prince of the heavenly host,
by the power of God, thrust down to hell Satan
and all wicked spirits, who roam through the world
seeking the ruin of souls. Amen.
See the St. Michael prayer and the Chaplet of St. Michael.
St. Martin of Tours
A Roman cavalry officer who cut his cloak in half to clothe a freezing beggar, and later said, “I am a soldier of Christ,” Martin became a monk and a great bishop. His feast, November 11, is also Veterans Day and Armistice Day, and he is a patron of soldiers and of France. See St. Martin of Tours.
St. George
A soldier in the Roman army who was martyred about 303 for refusing to renounce his faith, St. George, the dragon-slayer of legend, is the patron of soldiers, cavalry and England. His feast is April 23. See the St. George prayer.
St. Sebastian
An officer of the emperor’s guard in Rome who secretly encouraged Christian prisoners, St. Sebastian survived being shot with arrows and was then beaten to death about 288. He is the patron of soldiers, archers and athletes, and his feast is January 20. See the St. Sebastian prayer.
St. Joan of Arc
The peasant girl who led the armies of France at seventeen and was burned at the stake at nineteen, in 1431, is a patron of soldiers and of France. Her feast is May 30. See the St. Joan of Arc prayer.
Other soldier-saints
- St. Maurice (September 22), commander of the Theban Legion, martyred with his men for refusing to kill fellow Christians, patron of infantry.
- St. Ignatius of Loyola (July 31), a Basque officer whose conversion began while he recovered from a cannonball wound. See the St. Ignatius of Loyola prayer.
- St. Florian (May 4), a Roman officer martyred in 304, patron of firefighters. See the St. Florian prayer.
- St. Olaf (July 29), the warrior king of Norway. See St. Olaf.
Patron saints of each branch
None of these have been officially decreed for the U.S. armed forces, but they are the saints most often invoked:
| Branch or role | Patron saints |
|---|---|
| Army and all soldiers | St. Michael, St. George, St. Martin of Tours |
| Paratroopers and airborne | St. Michael the Archangel |
| Marines | St. Michael the Archangel |
| Navy and sailors | St. Erasmus (St. Elmo), St. Brendan the Navigator, Our Lady, Star of the Sea |
| Air Force, pilots and aviators | Our Lady of Loreto, St. Joseph of Cupertino |
| Artillery and gunners | St. Barbara |
| Military medics | St. John of God, St. Camillus de Lellis |
See Our Lady of Loreto, the St. Barbara prayer and the St. Joseph of Cupertino prayer.
Prayers for soldiers
Written for this page.
Prayer for soldiers
Lord God, protect the men and women who serve in our armed forces.
Give them courage in danger, strength in hardship, and wisdom in every decision.
Keep them faithful to you and to their duty,
let them use force only with justice and mercy,
and bring them home safely to their families.
St. Michael, St. Martin and St. Sebastian, pray for them. Amen.
For a soldier who is deployed
Heavenly Father, I place my soldier in your hands.
Wherever they are tonight, surround them with your holy angels.
Protect them from harm, from loneliness and from despair,
and let them know they are loved and prayed for every day. Amen.
For military families
Lord, strengthen the families of those who serve.
Give spouses patience and courage, comfort children who miss a parent,
and fill every empty chair with your peace until the day of homecoming. Amen.
For peace
Prince of Peace, end the wars that tear our world apart.
Turn the hearts of those who hate, protect the innocent,
and lead the nations to a just and lasting peace. Amen.
Scripture for soldiers
Psalm 90 (Psalm 91 in modern Bibles), often called “the soldier’s psalm” (Psalm 90:4–7, Douay-Rheims):
He will overshadow thee with his shoulders: and under his wings thou shalt trust.
His truth shall compass thee with a shield: thou shalt not be afraid of the terror of the night.
Of the arrow that flieth in the day, of the business that walketh about in the dark: of invasion, or of the noonday devil.
A thousand shall fall at thy side, and ten thousand at thy right hand: but it shall not come nigh thee.
See the full Psalm 91.
What the Church teaches about military service
The Catechism honors those who serve: those who are sworn to serve their country in the armed forces “are servants of the security and freedom of nations,” and when they carry out their duty honorably they contribute to the common good and to peace (CCC 2310). The Church also teaches that the moral law remains in force during war, and that soldiers must refuse orders to commit crimes against humanity (CCC 2312–2313).
Frequently asked questions
Who is the patron saint of soldiers?
St. Michael the Archangel, with St. George, St. Sebastian, St. Martin of Tours and St. Joan of Arc.
Who is the patron saint of the military?
St. Michael the Archangel is the patron most often invoked for the military as a whole.
Who is the patron saint of Marines?
U.S. Marines most often take St. Michael the Archangel as their patron.
Which saint’s feast falls on Veterans Day?
St. Martin of Tours, the soldier-saint, whose feast is November 11.
More prayers
- St. John of Capistrano
- Catholic prayer for our country
- Patron saint of police officers
- Veterans Day prayer
- St. Michael prayer
- Psalm 91
- Catholic prayer for protection
- St. Martin of Tours
- Patron saints of professions
Texts and sources
- Psalm 90:4–7 (Douay-Rheims).
- Prayer to St. Michael: F. X. Lasance, With God (1911), public domain.
- Catechism of the Catholic Church, 2310–2313.