Patron Saint of Indigenous Peoples of the Americas

Category: Other

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 "Indigenous Peoples of the Americas" 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 Saint of Indigenous Peoples of the Americas

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

Primary Patron
Our Lady of Guadalupe

Feast Day
December 12

Our Lady of Guadalupe is invoked as patron of Indigenous peoples of the Americas. The Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe commemorates the apparitions of the Blessed Virgin Mary to Saint Juan Diego Cuauhtlatoatzin on the hill of Tepeyac, north of Mexico City, between December 9 and 12, 1531, ten years after the fall of the Aztec capital Tenochtitlan to Hernan Cortes. In the four apparitions, Mary - speaking in Nahuatl, dressed as a young pregnant Indigenous noblewoman, with the moon under her feet and rays of the sun behind her - identified herself as the perfect ever-Virgin holy Mary, mother of the very true God by whom one lives, and asked that a church be built on Tepeyac for the consolation of the Indigenous peoples and all who would seek her intercession.On December 12, when Juan Diego brought to Bishop Juan de Zumarraga the Castilian roses gathered on the wintry hill at Mary's instruction, his ayate-fiber tilma was found to bear the image now venerated in the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Mexico City - the most-visited Marian shrine in the world. Sources: https://www.vatican.va/content/john-paul-ii/en/apost_exhortations/documents/hf_jp-ii_exh_22011999_ecclesia-in-america.html.

Read full biography of Our Lady of Guadalupe →

Frequently Asked Questions

Who is the patron saint of indigenous peoples of the americas?

Our Lady of Guadalupe is the primary patron saint of indigenous peoples of the americas. Their feast day is December 12.

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 Guadalupe's intercession?

To ask for a patron saint's intercession, Catholics typically pray directly to the saint, saying something like: "Our Lady of Guadalupe, 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.