The Top Five Most Popular Patron Saint Medals

Patron saint medals are a very popular thing to wear as a necklace, or to keep on your person at all times. People feel like the saint protects them, helps them through their day, or is simply there to comfort them when they have their medal on them. Some people simply wear patron saint medals because they were named after a certain saint. Whatever the reason may be, people all over the world wear these medals and there are some that have become more popular over the years than others.

5.) Saint Patrick - Saint Patrick is the patron saint of Ireland. His feast day falls every year on March 17th and is a pretty well celebrated holiday for those of Irish descent and many others as well. Patrick's story is a eventful one, he was captured by Druids when he was just fourteen and taken from his home in Britain to Ireland. Patrick prayed nearly all day long while he was held in captivity in Ireland and forced to perform labor there. He became extraordinarily close with God and would one day escape from Ireland when God told him to flee to the coast. He found sailors there who took him home to Britain. Patrick would become a priest while he was home and would also be ordained a bishop. He went back to Ireland to try and rid them of the pagans and Druids that overwhelmed their country. Patrick made it his goal to convert as many Irish as possible to the ways of Christianity, which he had great success doing. A shamrock is typically associated with Saint Patrick because he utilized it as a way to explain the Holy Trinity to the Irish. Each leaf of the shamrock stood for either God, Jesus, or the Holy Spirit.

4.) Saint Thomas Aquinas - Saint Thomas Aquinas is the patron saint of universities and students because of his love for knowledge and educating others. His feast day falls on January 28th each year. Saint Thomas was put under the watch of the Benedictines of Monte Casino in his youth. He learned faster than anybody they had seen before and had the patience of a full grown individual when he was just a boy. Once Thomas was old enough to make his own life decisions he chose to join the Order of Saint Dominic. His family did not support his decision and this hurt Thomas inside, but he knew he was making the right choice. Saint Thomas studied under Saint Albert and was one of the best students Albert ever had. Saint Thomas is remembered as one of the great theologians of the Catholic Church.

3.) Saint John the Baptist - Saint John the Baptist died a martyr just like Jesus. He told all of his followers about Jesus and how he truly was the son of God. John was the son of Zachary and Elizabeth, and he was conceived even though Elizabeth was quite old at the time. God sent the angel Gabriel to inform Zachary that his wife would become pregnant and that is exactly what happened despite the terrible odds. John is best known for baptizing men and women in the Jordan River, most notably Jesus himself was baptized by Saint John. John knew precisely who Jesus was and was flattered that Jesus came to him to be baptized and not the other way around. Herod was the ruler at that time and was not a fan of how much power Saint John the Baptist had over large masses of people. He had him arrested on false accusations and beheaded for no good reason. He suffered for his ever strong faith in Christianity and Jesus. Saint John the Baptist is the last prophet from the Old Testament and was the final prophet before Jesus Christ.

2.) Saint Michael - Saint Michael is the patron saint of police officers and his feast day falls on September 29th each year. Saint Michael's name is almost always followed by "the archangel" because that is what he is. He was the leading archangel in the battle in heaven between the angels and Satan and his followers. He is known as one of the great protectors of the Catholic Church forever, and that is why he is the patron saint of police officers. The Greeks used to hold Michael to a higher regard than the rest of the archangels because of his heroic actions displayed in the battle against Satan.

1.) Saint Christopher - Saint Christopher died a martyr just like Saint John the Baptist. Saint Christopher died in the 3rd century when he was asked to take part in a pagan sacrifice and he refused. One legend of Saint Christopher is when he wanted to please God so he asked a local hermit what he could do to have that be done. The hermit told him to fast and prayer, but Saint Christopher was unable to fast. The hermit then told him to help people cross a nearby river because many had died trying to. He found a little boy who needed help and put him on his shoulders. The boy was unbelievably heavy and the water seemed to move much faster than Christopher anticipated. When he reached the other side he was completely out of breath and tired, the boy turned to him and told him that he had just experienced the weight of the world upon his shoulders and that he was Christ. He let him know that his work was greatly appreciated and promptly vanished. Saint Christopher is the most common patron saint medal to see because he is featured on so many of them. He is shown on medals including basketball, golf, tennis, gymnastics, cheer leading, figure skating, volleyball, and hockey players.

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Source by Erin Donnelly