Patron Saint of Contemplatives

Saint Mary Magdalene is invoked as patron of contemplatives. Saint Mary Magdalene (Mary of Magdala) is presented in the Gospels as the woman from whom Jesus had cast out seven demons (Luke 8:2; Mark 16:9), who followed him from Galilee with a number of women providing for him and his disciples out of their resources (Luke 8:1-3). She stood beneath the Cross with the Mother of Jesus and the beloved disciple (John 19:25, Matthew 27:56, Mark 15:40), watched the burial of the Lord (Matthew 27:61, Mark 15:47), and on Easter morning was the first witness of the empty tomb and of the risen Christ.The Gospel of John (20:1-18) records the most personal of these encounters: weeping at the tomb she sees Jesus, mistakes him for the gardener, and recognizes him only when he calls her by name, Mary. Sources: https://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/congregations/ccdds/documents/rc_con_ccdds_doc_20160603_decreto-santa-maria-maddalena_en.html.

Saints Martha, Mary, and Lazarus is invoked as patron of contemplatives. The Memorial of Saints Martha, Mary, and Lazarus honors the three siblings of Bethany, the village two miles east of Jerusalem on the eastern slope of the Mount of Olives, presented in the Gospels as friends of Jesus and as a privileged household of his earthly ministry. Saint John tells us, Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus (John 11:5).Martha is the figure of active service: she received the Lord into her house at the meal at Bethany, was busy about much serving (Luke 10:38-42), and was rebuked, gently, for being anxious and troubled about many things, while one thing alone is needful, the better part chosen by Mary, who sat at the Lord's feet and listened to his teaching. Sources: https://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/congregations/ccdds/documents/rc_con_ccdds_doc_20210126_decreto-celebrazione-marta-maria-lazzaro_en.html.

Saint John of the Cross is invoked as patron of contemplatives. Juan de Yepes Alvarez was born on June 24, 1542, at Fontiveros in Old Castile, the youngest son of a poor weaving family. After his father's early death the family moved to Medina del Campo; the young Juan worked from age fourteen at a hospital for the incurably ill while studying at the local Jesuit college. Sources: https://www.usccb.org/resources/2026cal.pdf.