Patron Saint of Italy

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 "Italy" 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 Italy

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

Primary Patron
Saint Catherine of Siena

Feast Day
April 29

Saint Catherine of Siena is invoked as patron of Italy. Caterina di Iacopo di Benincasa was born on March 25, 1347, in Siena, the twenty-third of twenty-five children of Iacopo Benincasa, a wool dyer, and Lapa Piagenti. From the age of seven, after a vision of Christ, she dedicated her virginity to him, and at sixteen she was admitted to the Mantellate, the third order of women associated with the Dominican friars of Siena.For three years she lived in seclusion in her family's house, dedicated to prayer and severe penance. Sources: https://www.vatican.va/content/paul-vi/la/apost_letters/documents/hf_p-vi_apl_19701004_mirabilis-in-ecclesia-deus.html.

Read full biography of Saint Catherine of Siena →

Saint Francis of Assisi

Feast Day
October 4

Saint Francis of Assisi is invoked as patron of Italy. Giovanni di Pietro di Bernardone, called Francesco, was born at Assisi in 1181 or 1182, son of the prosperous cloth merchant Pietro Bernardone. After a year as a prisoner of war at Perugia (1202-1203) and a serious illness, he experienced a conversion that culminated in 1206 with his renunciation of his patrimony before Bishop Guido of Assisi. Sources: https://www.vatican.va/content/francesco/en/encyclicals/documents/papa-francesco_20150524_enciclica-laudato-si.html.

Read full biography of Saint Francis of Assisi →

Frequently Asked Questions

Who is the patron saint of italy?

Saint Catherine of Siena is the primary patron saint of italy. Their feast day is April 29.

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 Catherine of Siena's intercession?

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