Patron, in time, came to be a common designation of ever}' protector or powerful promoter of the interests of another ; thus also the saints, who were believed to watch over particular interests of persons, places, trades, etc., acquired in the Middle Ages the designa- tion of patron saints. These patron saints of profes- sions, trades, conditions, and callings were called, in Church language, Defensores. Several such are clear- ly connected by a sort of pun (as St. Clair, of lamp-
lighters ; St. Cloud, of the nailmakers ; and St. Blanc, or Blanchard, of laundresses), or are derived from some incident in their life (as St. Peter, of fishmon- gers), or in their legends(as St. Dunstan, of goldsmiths ; St. Sebastian, of archers ; St. Blaise, of combmakers ; St. Lawrence, of girdlers and cooks; SS. Hubert and Eustace, of huntsmen; St. Cecilia, of musicians; St. Catharine, of philosophers). Some preside over dif- ferent trades, as St. Eloi, patron of hangmen, coach- men, tinmen, nail and shoeing smiths, and metal- workers ; St. George, of soldiers, clothiers, and horse- men ; St. Anne, of grooms, toymen, turners, and comb- makers ; St. Michael, of fencing-masters and pastrj'- cooks ; St. John at the Latin Gate, of printers, attor- neys, and papermakers ; IV Coronati, of masons and builders ; SS. Cosmas and Damian, of physicians and surgeons ; SS. Crispin and Crispinian, of cordwainers and embroiderers ; St. Nicholas, of butchers, scholars, seamen, and thieves ; St. Vincent, of vinedressers and vinegar-makers.
We append a list of patron saints, as given by Wal- cott (Sacred Archceol. s. v.) :
Artiller)', and engineers and mechauics, ami married
women, St. Barbara. Bakers, SS. Wilfred and Uonorius. Basketmakers, St. Authonj'. Blind men, St. Thomas a Becket. Bookbinders, the Ascension. Booksellers, St. John the Evangelist. Boys, St. Gregory.
Brewers, SS. Houorius and Clement. Brokers, St. Maurice. Builders, SS. Coronati, Severns, Severianus, Carpophorns,
and Victorins. Butchers, SS. Anthony the Abbot and Francis. Carpenters, SS. Joseph and Andrew. Carters, St. Catharine. Chandlers, the Puritication (Candlemas). Charcoal-cutters, St. Anthony. Children, the Holy Innocents, St. Felicitas. Chinamen, St. Anthony of Padua. Common women, SS. Bride and Afra. Confectioners, the Puritication. Coopers, SS. Mary Magdalen and Hilary. Captives, SS. Leonard and Barbara. Carriers, SS. Simon and Jnde. Divines, St. Thomas Aquinas. Drapers, SS. Blaise and Leodegar. Drunkards, SS. Martin and Urban. Falconers, St. Tibba. Ferrymen, St. Christopher. Fools, St. Mathurin. Fullers, St. Severus.
Gardeners, SS. Urban of Langres and Fiacre. Girls, St. Catharine. Glaziers, St. James of Germany. Grauarers and millers, St. Anthony. Grocers, the Purilicatiou, St. Anthony. Hairdressers, St. Louis. Hatters, SS. James and William. Horsedealers, St. Louis. Hotel-keepers, St. Theodotus. Jockeys, St. Eiiloge. Laborers, SS. Walstan and Isidore. Lawyers, St. Ives. Locksmiths, St. Peter-cs-Lieus. Lovers, St. Valentine. Master-shoemakers, St. Martin. Matmakers, the Nativity. Mercers, St. Floriau. Millers, SS. Martin and Arnold. Alowers aud reapers, St. Walstan. Nurses, St. Agatha. Painters, SS. Luke and Lazarus. Paviors, St. Roche. Peasants, St. Lucia. Physicians, St. Pantaleon. Pilgrims, St. Julian. Pinmakers, St. Sebastian. Plasterers, IV Coronati. Ploughmen, St. Urban. Potters, St. Gore. Saddlers, St. Gualfard. Seamen aud fishermen, SS. Nicholas, Dismas, Christopher,
and Elmo. Shepherds, SS. Neomaye, Drngo, aud Weudolin. S|)inners, St. Catharine. Spurriers, St. Giles. Students and scholars, SS. Jerome, Lawrence, Mathurin,
Mary Magdalene, Catharine, Gregory the Great, Ursula. Tailors, SS. John Baptist, Goodman, and Anne. Tanners, SS. Simon, Jude, and Clemeut. Taverners, St. Lawrence.
PATRON 782
PATRONAGE
Theolosian?, SS. Augnstine aud Thomas Aquinas.
Tliievcs, St. Disinas.
Ti-avcllers, St. Julian.
Vii'siiiis, St.W'iiiil'red.
Washerwomen, SS. lluuua and Lidoise.
M'eavers, St. Steiihcii.
Woolcombers, SS. Bhiise and Mavy Magdalene.
The saint in whose name a church is founded is con- sidered its patron saint. But the dedication of a church often commemorates the patron of the staple trade of the vicinity.
Patrons in Diseases, etc. : St. Agatha presided over Are and valleys; St. Barbara, over hills; St. Florian, over lire ; St. Anue, over riches ; St. Osyth, over house-keys ; St. Sylvester, over woods ; SLViiiceiit aud St. Anue, over lost goods; St. Urban, over vinevai-ds; St. Anthony, over pigs; St. Gall, St. Leoden-ar.'or St. Ferrioll, over geese; St. Leonard, over ducksT St. German, over hen-roosts ; St. Gertrude, over ecgs ; St. Iluldeth, over mice : St. Hubert, over dogs ; St.' Magnus, over locusts ; St. Pelagiu.s, over oxen ; St. | Weudoliue, over sheep. St. Barbara took care that none died without the viaticum. St. Judocus preserved from mildew ; St. Magnus, from
grasshoppers: St. Mark, from sudden death. St. Leouard broke prison chains.
St. Otilia watched over the head ; St. Blaise, over the neck ; St. Erasmus, the chest ; St. Catharine, the tongue ; St. Lawrence, the back ; St. Burghart, the lower members. St. Koraain drove away spirits.
St. Roche cured pestilence ; St. Apollonia, toothache ; St. Otilia, bleared eves; St. Eutropius, dropsy ; St. Chiacre, emerods; St. Wolfgang, the gout; St. Valentine, the falling sickness ; St. Erasmus, the colic; St. Blaise, the quinsy ; St. John, shorn ; St. Peruel, the ague ; St. Vitus, madness; St. Lawrence, rheumatism; SS. Wilg- ford and LTncumber, bad husbands. St. Susanna helped in infancy; St. Florian, in fire.
Patrons of Countries, Cities, and Towns:
Asturia, St. Ephrem.
Austria, SS. Colnian and Leopold.
Bavaria, SS. George, Mary, and Wolfgang.
Bohemia, SS. Norbert, Weuceslaus, John Nepomuc, Adal- bert, Cosmas, Damian, Cyril, and Methodius.
Brabant, SS. Peter, Philip, and Andrew.