What is a Saint?
A saint is someone who loves God deeply and lives a life filled with kindness, goodness, and strong faith. Saints are known for their charitable acts and remarkable deeds, and many believe they are with God in heaven.
To become a saint, a person needs to be recognised for their good actions and strong faith. This process usually has several steps. First, they are called a “Servant of God,” meaning others see them as having lived holy lives. Next, if there is enough proof of their goodness and miracles, they may be named “Venerable.” After that, they can be declared “Blessed,” finally, the pope, leader of the Catholic Church, can officially canonise them as a saint.
List of Saints
Saint Patrick of Ireland
Saint Patrick is the patron saint of Ireland. He is credited with bringing Christianity to Ireland. At the age of 16, he was kidnapped by Irish raiders, taken to Ireland, and sold into slavery. After six years, he managed to escape and return to Britain, where he was reunited with his family. However, he had a dream in which he heard the voices of the Irish people calling and begging him to come back and help them learn more about Christianity, so he returned to Ireland.
Feast Day: 17th of March
Saint Brigid of Kildare
St. Brigid was an abbess who founded the important abbey of Kildare, as well as several other nunneries. St. Brigid’s Cross is a cross woven from rushes and is associated with St. Brigid.
Feast Day: 1st of February
Saint Joan of Arc
The patron saint of France, soldiers, and prisoners, Joan of Arc was a peasant girl who believed she was acting under divine guidance. In 1429, she led the French army to a significant victory at Orléans, repelling an English attempt to conquer France during the Hundred Years’ War.
Feast Day: 4th of October
Saint Francis of Assisi
Founder of the Franciscan orders and is the patron saint of Italy and is also the patron saint of ecology and animals.
Feast Day: 30th of May
Saint Mother Teresa
Mother Teresa received numerous honours, including the 1979 Nobel Prize for Peace. At 18, she moved to Ireland to join the Sisters of Loreto and later to India, where she lived most of her life and did her missionary work.
Feast Day: 5th of September
Saint Valentine
The patron saint of love and beekeepers who is celebrated on Valentine’s Day.
Feast Day: 14th of February
Saint Joseph
Jesus’ earthly father and Mary’s husband. He was a carpenter by trade. St. Joseph is the patron saint of the universal church in Roman Catholicism.
Feast Days
Feast of St. Joseph, Husband of Mary – 19th of March
Honours his role as the husband of Mary and the earthly father of Jesus.
Feast of St. Joseph the Worker – 1st of May
Honours St. Joseph as the patron saint of workers, as he was a humble carpenter and model for all who work, as well as his dedication to providing for his family
Saint Mary
Mary is the mother of Jesus and the wife of Joseph. She is considered the holiest of saints.
Feast Days
Feast of the Annunciation – 25th of March
Marks the moment when the Angel Gabriel told Mary that she would give birth to Jesus.
Feast of the Visitation – 31st of May
Celebrates Mary’s visit to her cousin Elizabeth, mother of John the Baptist, who would later baptise Jesus Christ.
Feast of the Assumption – 15th of August
Celebrates Mary’s journey into heaven.
Feast of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary – 8th of September
Celebrates the birth of Mary.
Feast of Our Lady of Sorrows – 15th of September
Reflects on Mary’s sadness when Jesus was hurt or in pain.
Feast of Our Lady of the Rosary – 7th of October
Honours Mary and the importance of the Rosary in prayer.
Feast of the Immaculate Conception – 8th of December
Celebrates the belief that Mary was born without original sin.
