The Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph is the model and protector of every Christian family, and many saints are honored as patrons of particular members of the family. St. Nicholas is the patron of children, St. Monica of mothers who pray for their children, St. Joseph of fathers, and Sts. Joachim and Anne, Jesus’ grandparents, of grandparents.
Below is a list of patron saints for every member and stage of family life, with feast days, and a prayer to entrust your family to them.
Patron saints of family members
| For | Patron saint | Feast day |
|---|---|---|
| The whole family | The Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph | Sunday after Christmas |
| Children | St. Nicholas | December 6 |
| Babies and the unborn | St. Gerard Majella; Our Lady of Guadalupe | October 16; December 12 |
| Boys and young men | St. Aloysius Gonzaga; St. Dominic Savio | June 21; May 6 |
| Girls and young women | St. Agnes; St. Maria Goretti | January 21; July 6 |
| Teenagers and young people | St. John Bosco; St. Carlo Acutis | January 31; October 12 |
| Students | St. Thomas Aquinas; St. Joseph of Cupertino (exams) | January 28; September 18 |
| Mothers | St. Monica; St. Anne | August 27; July 26 |
| Expectant mothers | St. Gerard Majella; St. Raymond Nonnatus | October 16; August 31 |
| Fathers | St. Joseph | March 19 |
| Grandparents | Sts. Joachim and Anne | July 26 |
| Married couples | Sts. Louis and Zélie Martin (often invoked) | July 12 |
| Engaged couples | St. Valentine; St. Raphael | February 14; September 29 |
| Difficult marriages | St. Rita of Cascia | May 22 |
| Widows | St. Monica; St. Elizabeth of Hungary; St. Frances of Rome | August 27; November 17; March 9 |
| Orphans and abandoned children | St. Jerome Emiliani | February 8 |
| Adoption and foster families | St. Joseph | March 19 |
| The home | St. Joseph | March 19 |
| The elderly | Sts. Joachim and Anne | July 26 |
Patron saint of children: St. Nicholas
St. Nicholas, a fourth-century bishop of Myra (in present-day Turkey), was famous for his generosity, especially to children and the poor. The most famous story tells how he secretly threw bags of gold into the house of a poor father so that his three daughters could marry. His feast, December 6, is still celebrated with gifts for children in many countries, and he is the origin of “Santa Claus.”
Patron saint of mothers: St. Monica
St. Monica (332–387) prayed and wept for years for the conversion of her son Augustine, who lived a wild life before becoming one of the greatest saints and Doctors of the Church. A bishop told her, “It is not possible that the son of so many tears should perish.” Her feast, August 27, is the day before her son’s.
Patron saint of fathers: St. Joseph
St. Joseph protected and provided for Mary and Jesus, taught Jesus his trade and guided the Holy Family through exile and danger. In 2020 Pope Francis described him as a “beloved father, a tender and loving father, an obedient father, an accepting father, a creatively courageous father, a working father, a father in the shadows” (Patris Corde). See the St. Joseph prayer.
A prayer to entrust your family to the saints
Written for this page:
Jesus, Mary and Joseph, I entrust my family to you.
St. Joseph, protect our home; St. Monica, pray for our children;
Sts. Joachim and Anne, bless our grandparents and elders;
St. Nicholas, watch over the little ones;
and all you saints of our family’s names, pray for us.
Keep us united in love and faithful to God,
until we are all together in heaven. Amen.
See also our Catholic prayer for family and prayer for children.
Frequently asked questions
Who is the patron saint of children?
St. Nicholas of Myra. Babies and the unborn are also entrusted to St. Gerard Majella and Our Lady of Guadalupe.
Who is the patron saint of grandparents?
Sts. Joachim and Anne, the parents of the Virgin Mary. Since 2021 the Church also celebrates the World Day for Grandparents and the Elderly on the Sunday near their feast, July 26.
Who is the patron saint of marriage?
There is no single official patron. Couples often turn to Sts. Joachim and Anne, to Sts. Louis and Zélie Martin (the parents of St. Thérèse, canonized together in 2015), to St. Raphael (for those seeking a spouse) and, in difficulty, to St. Rita.
More patron saints and prayers
- St. Gerard prayer for mothers
- Catholic house blessing
- Catholic prayer for marriage
- Catholic prayer for pregnancy
- St. Anne prayer
- St. Monica prayer
- Patron saints: the complete list
- Catholic birthday prayers
- First Communion
- The St. Rita prayer
Sources
- Feast days follow the General Roman Calendar and the Roman Martyrology.
- St. Augustine, Confessions III, 12 (St. Monica and the bishop); Francis, apostolic letter Patris Corde (2020); Pius XI (1928), St. Jerome Emiliani, patron of orphans.
- The prayer was written for this page.