Catholics ask the saints to pray for them, just as we ask our friends and family on earth to pray for us. The saints are not distant figures but members of the same family of God, alive in Christ and close to us. Below you will find our prayers to the saints and angels arranged by need: healing, family and children, impossible causes, work and home, travel, and more, together with novenas, patron saints and a short explanation of why Catholics pray to the saints.
Why Catholics pray to the saints
We do not worship the saints; we worship God alone. We ask the saints to intercede for us, because they are united to Christ in heaven and love us. “They do not cease to intercede with the Father for us… So by their fraternal concern is our weakness greatly helped” (CCC 956). “Their intercession is their most exalted service to God’s plan. We can and should ask them to intercede for us and for the whole world” (CCC 2683). For the full explanation, with the Bible passages behind it, see do Catholics pray to Mary and the saints?
St. Thérèse of Lisieux promised, “I want to spend my heaven in doing good on earth.” See the St. Thérèse prayer.
Prayers to the angels
- St. Michael prayer: protection in spiritual battle
- Novena to St. Michael and the Chaplet of St. Michael
- St. Gabriel prayer: the angel of the Annunciation, for good news and communication
- St. Raphael prayer and novena to St. Raphael: healing, travel, finding a spouse
- Guardian Angel prayer
Saints for healing
- St. Peregrine prayer: cancer and serious illness
- St. Charbel prayer: healing and the sick
- St. Dymphna prayer: mental illness, anxiety and depression
- St. Lucy prayer: the eyes and blindness
- St. Blaise prayer: the throat, and the blessing of throats
- Padre Pio prayer: healing, suffering, confession
- St. Faustina prayer and the Divine Mercy Novena: trust in Jesus’ mercy
- Patron saints of healing and patron saints of mental health
Saints for family, mothers and children
- St. Joseph prayer and St. Joseph novena: fathers, families, workers
- St. Anne prayer: mothers and grandmothers
- St. Gerard prayer: pregnancy, childbirth and fertility
- St. Monica prayer: mothers of children who have left the faith
- St. Rita prayer: difficult marriages and impossible cases
- St. Carlo Acutis prayer: young people and the internet
- Patron saints of the family
Saints for impossible and urgent causes
- St. Jude prayer and St. Jude novena: desperate cases
- St. Rita prayer: the “saint of the impossible”
- St. Expedite prayer: urgent needs
- St. Philomena prayer: the “wonder-worker”
- Catholic prayer for a miracle
- Patron saint of lost causes
Saints for lost things, work and home
- St. Anthony prayer and St. Anthony novena: lost things
- Patron saint of lost things
- Catholic prayer for a job: St. Joseph the Worker
- St. Joseph prayer to sell a house
- St. Thomas Aquinas prayer: students and exams
- Patron saints of professions
Saints for travel
- St. Christopher prayer: drivers and travelers
- Catholic travel prayer
- Patron saint of travelers
Great saints and their prayers
- Prayer of St. Francis: “Make me an instrument of your peace”
- St. Patrick’s Breastplate
- St. Augustine prayer
- St. Benedict prayer and medal
- The 15 prayers of St. Bridget
- St. Gertrude prayer for the souls in purgatory
- St. Thérèse prayer and St. Thérèse novena
Prayers to Mary, Queen of All Saints
- The Memorare
- Hail, Holy Queen
- Sub tuum praesidium, the oldest prayer to Mary
- The Fatima prayers
- Litany of Loreto
- Rosary prayers
Find a saint
- Saint of the day: today’s saint and every feast day of the year
- Saint feast days: dates for popular saints, angels and Mary
- Prayers to popular saints: Teresa of Avila, Ignatius, George, Martin de Porres and more
- Unusual patron saints
- Patron saints by need
- Patron saints of countries
- Confirmation saint names
- Litany of the Saints
Frequently asked questions
Is it biblical to pray to the saints?
Scripture shows the prayers of the saints rising before God (Apocalypse 5:8; 8:3–4), and it urges Christians to pray for one another (James 5:16). Asking the saints in heaven to pray for us continues that communion.
What is the most powerful prayer to a saint?
No prayer works by its words alone. A prayer is “powerful” when it is prayed with faith, humility and love. Many Catholics find great help in the Memorare, the St. Michael prayer and the St. Jude novena.
How do I choose a patron saint?
Look for a saint who shares your name, your work, your struggles or your country, or simply one whose life moves you. See patron saints and confirmation saint names.
Sources
- Catechism of the Catholic Church 956, 2683.
- St. Thérèse of Lisieux, words of July 17, 1897, recorded in her Last Conversations and quoted in CCC 956.
- Scripture: Apocalypse 5:8; 8:3–4; James 5:16.