St. Cecilia
St. Cecilia is the patron saint of musicians, often depicted with a violin or other instrument. She was martyred for her Christian beliefs by Roman soldiers over a three-day period in Sicily, during which she sang to God.
St. Luke
St. Luke is one of the four evangelists and the patron saint of physicians, surgeons, artists and butchers. He is symbolized by an ox, and is believed by some to have painted the first icon. Holy relics of St. Luke lie in Italy and Greece.
St. Christopher
It’s believed that a king tempted St. Christopher with women and riches to convert away from Christianity without success. Today the saint is known not only as the patron of travelers, but also as a figure who was reduced in holy stature by a modern pope—similar to how Pluto is no longer a planet.
St. Nicholas
Known as “The Wonder-Worker,” this historic Greek figure was born in modern-day Turkey and is the patron saint of children, sailors and sea merchants. He is also associated with secret gift-giving because he provided the dowry for three poor sisters.
St. Catherine
St. Catherine is the patron saint of unmarried girls, spinners and potters. Under the orders of a Roman emperor, she was beaten, imprisoned and then tortured on a large spiked wheel, known as a “breaking wheel,” before being decapitated. A type of fireworks, the Catherine wheel, is named after her.
St. Brigid
St. Brigid is one of Ireland’s patron saints, known to be erudite and wise. She ran a large religious order, and her symbols are the eternal lamp of learning and a woven reed cross. Cultural anthropologists link her to pre-Christian practices in Ireland. She is thought to protect children with abusive fathers and watch over dairy maids and cooks.
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