Your patron saint is the saint whose name you received at baptism or chrismation. That’s the short answer. But there’s more to understand about how this works and what it means for your life in the Church.
When you’re baptized or chrismated into the Orthodox Church, you receive a Christian name. This is the name the priest uses when he gives you communion, when you go to confession, when prayers are said for you. It’s your name in the Church. And that name connects you to a specific saint who becomes your patron.
If you were baptized as a baby, your parents chose this name for you, usually with the priest’s guidance. Maybe they named you George after St. George the Trophy-bearer, or Maria after the Theotokos, or Nicholas after St. Nicholas of Myra. That saint is your patron. Simple as that.
But what if you’re coming into the Church as an adult? Then you get to participate in choosing. During your catechumenate, you’ll talk with your priest about a patron saint. This isn’t something to rush. Pray about it. Read the lives of different saints. See who draws you. Maybe you’re drawn to St. Mary of Egypt because her story of repentance moves you. Maybe St. Paul speaks to you because you came to Christ later in life too. Maybe you work offshore and St. Nicholas, patron of sailors, feels right.
Your priest will guide you. He might suggest saints based on your background, your struggles, your gifts. He knows the calendar and the tradition. But you’re not passive in this. It’s a conversation.
Now here’s something that confuses people coming from Protestant backgrounds. If your birth name is already a saint’s name, you’ll probably keep it. John becomes St. John the Baptist or St. John the Theologian. Mary becomes the Theotokos or St. Mary of Egypt. Katherine becomes St. Katherine of Alexandria. Your priest will help you figure out which saint specifically.
But what if your name is Brandon or Brittany or some name that isn’t in the Orthodox calendar? Then you choose a Christian name for your baptism. Some people pick a saint whose story resonates with them. Others choose a saint whose feast day is near their birthday or their reception into the Church. Still others ask their priest to suggest someone.
I’ve known converts who kept their birth names for everything except church. At work they’re still Brandon, but at the chalice they’re Brendan after St. Brendan the Navigator. That’s normal. Your Christian name is your name in the Church, your name in the Kingdom.
Your patron saint isn’t just a formality. This saint becomes your intercessor, praying for you before God’s throne. The saints aren’t dead. They’re more alive than we are, and they care about us. Your patron saint knows you by name. You can ask for their prayers just like you’d ask your grandmother to pray for you, except your patron saint is standing in the presence of God.
They’re also your model. You read their life, you learn how they struggled and how they loved Christ. You see what holiness looks like in a real human person. St. Seraphim of Sarov said the goal of Christian life is acquiring the Holy Spirit. Your patron saint shows you one way that happened.
And their feast day becomes your name day. In Orthodox tradition, this matters more than your birthday. Your birthday is when you entered this world. Your name day celebrates your spiritual birth and honors the saint who’s walking with you. At St. Michael’s, we sing “Many Years” for people on their name days. It’s a big deal.
Can you have more than one patron saint? The tradition focuses on one primary patron connected to your baptismal name. That’s your saint. But of course you can have special devotion to other saints too. Maybe St. Xenia of St. Petersburg helped you through a hard time. Maybe you pray to St. Nectarios when you’re sick. That’s fine. But your patron saint is the one whose name you bear.
One more thing. Sometimes people ask if they can change their patron saint later. The answer is generally no. This isn’t like changing your major in college. Your baptism happens once. The name you receive is your name. You’re stuck with your patron saint the way you’re stuck with your family. And that’s good. Commitment matters. Your patron saint will be there for you even when you’re not particularly drawn to them, even when you forget about them for months at a time.
Get an icon of your patron saint. Put it in your prayer corner. Learn their life. Read it on their feast day every year. Ask their prayers. You’ve got a friend in heaven who knows your name and loves you. That’s what a patron saint is.
