7 Saints Who Offer Protection From Harm

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Have you ever found yourself alone and suddenly faced with something you fear? It could be a rabid Chihuahua that wandered onto your porch to join you when you’re unwinding that’s causing you to panic. Or it could be something much smaller – of the eight-legged variety – that elicits a shriek when the arachnid greets you as you step out of the shower. Who can you call upon for help?

Believe it or not, there’s a saint who can help protect you from both rabid Chihuahuas and spiders. His name is Saint Dominic of Silos, and in addition to helping captives, shepherds, prisoners and pregnant women, he protects people against insects, rabies and rabid dogs. He’s one of many saints whom you can call upon for protection.

Whenever we’re frightened, we should always pray to God and thank Him for His help. But we’re also encouraged to pray for the intercession of saints. Although they’re human souls, they’ve lived holy lives dedicated to serving God and furthering His Kingdom. “We can compare them to the church windows which allow light to enter in different shades of color,” said Pope Francis on All Saints Day 2017. “The saints are our brothers and sisters who have welcomed the light of God in their heart and have passed it on to the world, each according to his or her own hue.”

Ultimately, the protection comes from God. But the saints can help us to obtain it. Here are seven saints who can help protect us and our loved ones in various situations.

Saint Michael the Archangel

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Saint Michael the Archangel is also known as the Prince of the heavenly hosts. In Hebrew, his name means “Who is as God,” and that has also been his battle cry as he swiftly defends God and the Church from all evil. In Albin Butler’s “Lives of the Saints,” he is referred to as “the captain of the armies of God, the type of divine fortitude, the champion of every faithful soul in strife with the powers of evil.”

In 2013, Pope Francis spoke about the archangel when a monument of St. Michael was dedicated. “Michael fights to reestablish divine justice; he defends the People of God from their enemies and above all from the arch-enemy par excellence, the devil. And St Michael triumphs because in him it is God who acts. This sculpture reminds us therefore that evil is vanquished, the accuser is unmasked, his head is crushed, because salvation was fulfilled once and for all by the blood of Christ,” said Pope Francis. He later added “On the journey and in the trials of life, we are not alone, we are accompanied and sustained by the Angels of God, who offer, so to speak, their wings to help us overcome the many dangers, to be able to fly above those realities that can make our lives difficult or drag us down.”

Saint Joseph

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Saint Joseph, the kind, diligent and humble saint, who was chosen by God to be the faithful, loving spouse of Blessed Mother and the earthly guardian of Jesus, is another saint that all people can call upon for protection from all kinds of harm. The patron saint of the universal Church, families, fathers and married people, St. Joseph is frequently called upon to help protect families in times of trouble.

During the 2013 Feast of the Holy Family of Nazareth, Pope Francis advised people to call upon Mary and Joseph for help. He said “The proclamation of the Gospel, in fact, first passes through the family to reach the various spheres of daily life. Let us fervently call upon Mary Most Holy, the Mother of Jesus and our Mother, and St. Joseph her spouse. Let us ask them to enlighten, comfort and guide every family in the world, so that they may fulfill with dignity and peace the mission which God has entrusted to them.”

Saint Catherine of Sweden

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While St. Joseph is called upon to protect families, Saint Catherine of Sweden is called upon by those who are starting or growing their families. She is the patron saint of women who have had miscarriages, and she helps protect unborn babies. She was born in the 14th Century to St. Bridget of Sweden and her husband, the Prince of Nericia. From the time she was educated by the abbess of the Convent of Riseberg, when she was a child, St. Catherine of Sweden was dedicated to serving God. She followed in her mother’s footsteps of serving the poor and pregnant women who were ill or who had suffered miscarriages.

One prayer that seeks the saint’s intercession is as follows:

Dear Heavenly Father, I thank and praise You for the gift of all human life. I am most especially grateful for the new life within my womb – the unborn child forming deep within me. Through the prayers of Mary, Mother of Jesus, and the intercession of Saint Catherine of Sweden, I beg You to watch over and protect this little one inside my womb. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.

Saint Nicholas of Myra

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When parents want to pray for a saint’s help in protecting their children, it’s not surprising that they may seek the intercession of Saint Nicholas of Myra – who is more widely known as Saint Nicholas or Santa Claus. With many patronages attributed to him, Saint Nicholas of Myra, who was born in the 3rd Century and passed away in the 4th Century in what is now Turkey, is the patron saint and protector of children.

Born to wealthy parents and raised to be Christian, he became devoted to God at a young age. When his parents passed away in an epidemic, the saint followed Jesus’ teaching to sell everything he had and give it to the poor. He used his inheritance to help the needy and the suffering, and he became a bishop. Known for his generosity, kindness and love, he’s the patron saint of many people and things, but he is especially associated with miraculously protecting and rescuing children from unfathomable harm. The saint, who is also the patron of brides, grooms and many others, is also known as a patron and protector of sailors.

Saint Christopher

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While many sailors will seek help from St. Nicholas for protection, other travelers might look to Saint Christopher. Although not much is known about the earthly life of the saint, who is believed to have been martyred after converting thousands of people to Christianity in the third century, he is well known as the patron and protector of travelers of all kinds (even people driving short distances to run errands, go to work, etc.). He also protects people against lightning and hailstorms.

A popular prayer to St. Christopher is as follows:

Grant me, O Lord, a steady hand and watchful eye, that no one shall be hurt, as I pass by. Thou gavest life; I pray no act of mine may take away or mar that gift of Thine. Shelter those, dear Lord, who bear my company, from the evils of fire and all calamity. Teach me to use my car for others’ need. Nor miss through love of undue speed the beauty of the world; that thus I may with joy and courtesy go on my way. St. Christopher, holy patron of travelers, protect me, and lead me safely to my destiny.

Saint Benedict

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While there are many saints who protect us from physical dangers, there are also saints who protect us from spiritual dangers. Saint Benedict is regarded as the father of Western monasticism and is renowned for his Rule – now known as the Rule of St. Benedict – that teaches monks and nuns how to serve God in monastic communities. He is known to offer spiritual protection to help people guard against corruption and stay strong in faith. He also protects people from being poisoned.

One novena prayer to St. Benedict is as follows:

Glorious St. Benedict, sublime model of virtue, pure vessel of God's grace! Behold me humbly kneeling at your feet. I implore you in your loving kindness to pray for me before the throne Of God. To you I have recourse in the dangers that daily surround me. Shield me against my selfishness and my indifference to God and to my neighbor. Inspire me to imitate you in all things. May your blessing be with me always, so that I may see and serve Christ in others and work for His kingdom.

Graciously obtain for me from God those favors and graces which I need so much in the trials, miseries and afflictions of life. Your heart was always full of love, compassion and mercy toward those who were afflicted or troubled in any way. You never dismissed without consolation and assistance anyone who had recourse to you. I therefore invoke your powerful intercession, confident in the hope that you will hear my prayer and obtain for me the special grace and favor I earnestly implore (name it).

Help me, great St. Benedict. to live and die as a faithful child of God, to run in the sweetness of His loving will and to attain the eternal happiness of heaven. Amen.

Saint Francis of Assisi

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But it’s not only humans that the saints can help protect from harm. St. Francis of Assisi, the beloved founder of the Franciscan Order who was born towards the end of the 12th Century, deeply loved all of God’s creation, and he felt that all of God’s creatures were his brothers and sisters. It is said that he even once made peace between a hungry wolf that had killed people and animals and the town that feared and wanted to kill the wolf. It’s also believed that when he preached to the birds in the trees, the birds listened attentively and were still until he said they may fly away.

On or around October 4, the Feast Day of Saint Francis, many parishes celebrate the humble saint by holding a special Blessing of the Animals ceremony. One popular prayer to St. Francis of Assisi is as follows:

Good St. Francis, you loved all of God's creatures. To you, they were your brothers and sisters. Help us to follow your example of treating every living thing with kindness. St. Francis, Patron Saint of animals, watch over my pet, and keep my companion safe and healthy. Amen.