Patron Saint of Chile

Category: Countries & Regions

In Catholic tradition, patron saints are holy men and women whose lives and intercession are considered especially suited to particular needs, groups, or situations. The Church's practice of invoking saints reflects the doctrine of the Communion of Saints — the belief that the faithful departed remain united with the living in the one Body of Christ and can intercede before God on our behalf.

The designation of a patron saint for "Chile" reflects centuries of Catholic popular devotion and, in many cases, formal proclamations by popes or bishops recognizing a saint's particular connection to this intention through the circumstances of their life, death, or documented miracles.

Patron Saints of Chile

Formally proclaimed patronage — sourced from canonized saints in the Roman Calendar.

Primary Patron
Our Lady of Mount Carmel

Feast Day
July 16

Our Lady of Mount Carmel is invoked as patron of Chile. The Optional Memorial of Our Lady of Mount Carmel celebrates the patronal feast of the Carmelite Order, named for Mount Carmel in northern Israel, the mountain where the prophet Elijah confronted the prophets of Baal (1 Kings 18) and where, in the small cloud rising from the sea (1 Kings 18:44), Christian tradition has read a figure of the Virgin Mary, fruitful of God-bearing rain in a time of drought.In the late twelfth century, during the Latin Kingdom of Jerusalem, a group of Western hermits gathered on Mount Carmel near the Spring of Elijah and built an oratory dedicated to the Mother of God. Saint Albert of Jerusalem, Latin Patriarch, gave them their first Rule between 1206 and 1214; this was approved by Pope Honorius III in 1226 and amended by Pope Innocent IV in 1247, when the order migrated to Europe under the persecution of the Mamluks.The principal Carmelite tradition associated with this feast is the gift of the Brown Scapular. Sources: https://www.vatican.va/content/john-paul-ii/en/letters/2001/documents/hf_jp-ii_let_20010325_carmelitani.html.

Read full biography of Our Lady of Mount Carmel →

Saint James the Greater

Feast Day
July 25

Saint James the Greater is invoked as patron of Chile. Saint James the Greater (so called to distinguish him from James, son of Alphaeus) was the elder son of Zebedee and Salome and the brother of Saint John the Evangelist. A Galilean fisherman of Bethsaida and Capernaum, he was called by Jesus together with John as they were mending their nets with their father (Matthew 4:21-22, Mark 1:19-20). Sources: https://www.vatican.va/content/benedict-xvi/en/audiences/2006/documents/hf_ben-xvi_aud_20060621.html.

Read full biography of Saint James the Greater →

Frequently Asked Questions

Who is the patron saint of chile?

Our Lady of Mount Carmel is the primary patron saint of chile. Their feast day is July 16.

What is a patron saint?

A patron saint is a holy man or woman canonized by the Church whose life and heavenly intercession are considered especially powerful for particular needs, groups, or situations. Catholics ask patron saints to intercede — to pray to God on their behalf — drawing on the doctrine of the Communion of Saints.

How do I ask for Our Lady of Mount Carmel's intercession?

To ask for a patron saint's intercession, Catholics typically pray directly to the saint, saying something like: "Our Lady of Mount Carmel, pray for us." You may also light a candle, attend Mass on their feast day, or make a novena — nine days of consecutive prayer — asking for their help before a particular need.