The saint most often named as the patron of marriage and of love is St. Valentine, the Roman priest and martyr whose feast became the day of lovers, but the Church gives married couples many patrons: Mary and Joseph, Sts. Joachim and Anne, the archangel St. Raphael, and Sts. Louis and Zélie Martin, the first married couple canonized together. Below are the patron saints of marriage, engaged couples and difficult marriages, the prayer Tobias and Sara prayed on their wedding night, and Catholic prayers for your marriage.
A short prayer for a marriage, written for this page:
Lord, you made us one in the Sacrament of Marriage.
Keep our love faithful, patient and generous,
help us forgive each other quickly, and lead us together to heaven.
Holy patrons of marriage, pray for us. Amen.
Patron saints of marriage
| For | Patron saint | Feast |
|---|---|---|
| Love, engaged couples and happy marriages | St. Valentine | February 14 |
| Married couples and families | Mary and Joseph, the Holy Family | Sunday after Christmas |
| Couples longing for children; grandparents | Sts. Joachim and Anne | July 26 |
| Finding a spouse and a happy marriage | St. Raphael the Archangel | September 29 |
| Holy married life and parenthood | Sts. Louis and Zélie Martin | July 12 |
| Difficult marriages | St. Rita of Cascia; St. Monica | May 22; August 27 |
| Married women and mothers | St. Gianna Beretta Molla | April 28 |
- St. Valentine was a priest of Rome martyred about 269. Later tradition made him the friend of lovers and engaged couples, and the patron of happy marriages. See the St. Valentine prayer.
- Mary and Joseph lived the most perfect marriage, and the Holy Family is the model of every Christian home. See the Feast of the Holy Family.
- St. Raphael, who in the Book of Tobias guided young Tobias to his bride Sara and drove away the demon that threatened their marriage, is invoked by those looking for a spouse. See the novena to St. Raphael.
- Sts. Louis and Zélie Martin, a watchmaker and a lacemaker of Alençon, France, and the parents of St. Thérèse of Lisieux, raised five daughters who all became nuns, and lost four children young. Pope Francis canonized them together in 2015, the first spouses canonized as a couple.
- St. Rita of Cascia endured eighteen years with a violent husband, who was converted before his death. She is the patron of difficult marriages. See the St. Rita prayer.
- St. Monica, whose patience won her hot-tempered husband to the faith. See the St. Monica prayer.
The prayer of Tobias and Sara
On their wedding night, Tobias and Sara prayed together before anything else (Tobias 8:7–10, Douay-Rheims; Tobit 8 in modern Bibles):
And Tobias said: Lord God of our father, may the heavens and the earth, and the sea, and the fountains, and the rivers, and all thy creatures that are in them, bless thee.
Thou madest Adam of the slime of the earth, and gavest him Eve for a helper.
And now, Lord, thou knowest, that not for fleshly lust do I take my sister to wife, but only for the love of posterity, in which thy name may be blessed for ever and ever.
Sara also said: Have mercy on us, O Lord, have mercy on us, and let us grow old both together in health.
And Christ’s words on marriage (Matthew 19:4–6):
Who answering, said to them: Have ye not read, that he who made man from the beginning, made them male and female? And he said:
For this cause shall a man leave father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife, and they two shall be in one flesh.
Therefore now they are not two, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let no man put asunder.
Prayers for marriage
Written for this page.
A couple’s prayer
Lord Jesus, you were present at the wedding at Cana.
Be present in our marriage. Bless our home, our work and our children,
keep us faithful to our vows, and fill our love with your joy. Amen.
For a marriage in trouble
St. Rita, patron of difficult marriages, pray for us.
Heal what is broken between us, soften our hearts,
give us humility to listen and courage to change,
and if it is God’s will, renew our love. Amen.
For those hoping to marry
St. Raphael, you guided Tobias to Sara.
Guide me to the spouse God has prepared for me,
and make me ready to love faithfully. Amen.
See the Catholic prayer for marriage for more.
Frequently asked questions
Who is the patron saint of marriage?
St. Valentine is the best-known patron of marriage and love. Sts. Joachim and Anne, St. Raphael and Sts. Louis and Zélie Martin are also patrons of married couples.
Who is the patron saint of love?
St. Valentine, whose feast is February 14.
Who is the patron saint of difficult marriages?
St. Rita of Cascia, whose feast is May 22.
More prayers
- St. Helena
- Catholic prayer for marriage
- St. Valentine prayer
- Novena to St. Raphael
- Patron saints of family
- Patron saint of friendship
- St. Gianna Beretta Molla
Texts and sources
- Tobias 8:7–10 and Matthew 19:4–6 (Douay-Rheims).