Patron Saint of Anger: St. Francis de Sales and a Prayer

There is no official patron saint of anger, but the saint most often invoked by people who struggle with their temper is St. Francis de Sales (1567–1622), the bishop of Geneva who by nature was quick-tempered and who, by years of patient effort and prayer, became famous for his gentleness. St. Jerome, the great Bible scholar, is another saint who fought all his life against a sharp temper and a sharp tongue. Scripture says, “Be angry, and sin not,” and the remedy for the sin of anger is meekness. Below are their stories, what the Bible teaches about anger, and prayers to control anger.

A short prayer when I am angry, written for this page:

Lord Jesus, meek and humble of heart, calm the storm in me.
Help me to stop, to breathe, and to speak only words that heal.
St. Francis de Sales, pray for me. Amen.

St. Francis de Sales: from temper to gentleness

Francis de Sales was born in 1567 in Savoy, into a noble family, and had a strong and fiery temperament. As a priest and later as bishop of Geneva he worked hard on himself, and he became so gentle that people who met him thought he had never been angry in his life. In his Introduction to the Devout Life he advised that it is better to keep anger out of the heart altogether than to try to moderate it once it is inside, and to be patient with our own faults as well as other people’s. He is a Doctor of the Church, and his feast day is January 24. See the St. Francis de Sales prayer.

St. Jerome: a saint with a temper

St. Jerome (about 347–420), who translated the Bible into Latin, was known for his irritable character and his biting letters, and he quarreled even with friends. A well-known story, probably a legend, tells that a pope looking at a painting of Jerome beating his breast with a stone said that without that stone he would never have been a saint. His life shows that God can make saints of people who struggle with anger, if they keep repenting. His feast day is September 30. See the St. Jerome prayer.

What Scripture says about anger

Ephesians 4:26 (Douay-Rheims):

Be angry, and sin not. Let not the sun go down upon your anger.

James 1:19–20 (Douay-Rheims):

You know, my dearest brethren. And let every man be swift to hear, but slow to speak, and slow to anger.
For the anger of man worketh not the justice of God.

Anger in itself is a passion, not a sin; Jesus himself was angry when he drove the merchants out of the Temple. Anger becomes sinful when it is out of proportion, when it wishes harm, or when we hold on to it. Wrath is one of the seven deadly sins, and its remedy is meekness.

Prayers to control anger

Written for this page.

In the moment of anger

Jesus, I am angry. Hold my tongue and my hands.
Help me to wait until I am calm before I speak,
and to say what is true with love. Amen.

After losing my temper

Lord, I lost my temper and hurt someone.
Forgive me, give me the humility to apologize,
and heal the wound I caused. Amen.

For a person with a bad temper

St. Francis de Sales, pray for (name), who struggles with anger.
Give them peace of heart, patience and gentleness,
and protect those around them. Amen.

Frequently asked questions

Who is the patron saint of anger?

There is no official patron, but St. Francis de Sales, who overcame a fiery temper, is the saint most often invoked.

Is anger a sin?

Not in itself. It becomes sinful when it is excessive, unjust or vengeful. Wrath is one of the seven deadly sins.

Patron Saint of Anger: St. Francis de Sales, St. Jerome and a Prayer to Control Anger