Did you know that single people also have a patron saint? In fact, they have several!
St. Paschal Baylón
St. Paschal Baylón, in addition to being the patron saint of pastry chefs and cooks, is also a patron saint of single women and those looking for a husband.
A church in Rome dedicated to the saint became very popular because it was visited by single women, who flocked there to pray for a husband.
St. Nicholas of Bari
The story of this saint and three poor girls is well known. It is said that there was an old man with three daughters for whom he could not find husbands because of their extreme poverty. (At the time, fathers were expected to give a dowry to their daughter’s husband, and he had nothing to give.)
For three days in a row, the future St. Nicholas passed by at night and threw a bag full of gold coins in their window, so the old man obtained the dowry allowing him to give his daughters in marriage.
This is why St. Nicholas is also prayed to by single women to find a husband.
St. Anthony of Padua
St. Anthony, like St. Valentine, is a patron saint of people in love, and he too is invoked to find a boyfriend or girlfriend.
In a general audience, Pope Francis recounted that, “In Argentina they venerate St. Anthony a great deal. He’s the patron saint of girls who are looking for a boyfriend. In their 20s they ask St. Anthony that a boyfriend may appear, have money, and be a good match. In their 30s, if he hasn’t arrived, they return and ask St. Anthony for a boyfriend to appear and have money. At 40 they still pray to St. Anthony but only for a boyfriend to appear. And at that age whatever comes, comes.”
St. Faustino
The fact that Saint Faustino is the patron saint of singles is a bit of a happenstance that has become a tradition.
While in many countries the day of single people is celebrated before Valentine’s Day, in Italy it’s celebrated the day after, February 15, the day coincidentally dedicated to St. Faustino.
It is also believed, however, that the saint brings good luck in finding one’s “other half,” since his name derives from the Latin word fausto, which means “auspicious.”
St. Emelina
Since she never married or professed vows with a religious community, Blessed Emelina is known as the patron saint of single women. She is celebrated on October 27.
St. Apollonia
Some areas of Catalonia (Spain) have St. Apollonia, virgin and martyr, as their patron saint. Girls aged 16 celebrate her feast day in a special way.
St. Catherine of Alexandria
St. Catherine of Alexandria is also a patron saint of single women, for defending her virginity as so many other Christian martyrs did.
And today we celebrate...