Patron Saint of Lawyers

Category: Other

St. Thomas More, the Lord Chancellor of England who was martyred in 1535 for refusing to accept King Henry VIII's break with Rome, is the patron of lawyers and statesmen. He was a trained lawyer, a humanist, and a man of remarkable integrity who chose death over compromise of his conscience. He was canonized by Pope Pius XI in 1935 and declared patron of statesmen and politicians by Pope John Paul II in 2000.

St. Ivo of Brittany (Yves Hélory), a 13th-century canon lawyer and judge who was known for defending the poor in court, is also a patron of lawyers. His feast day is May 19.

Patron Saints of Lawyers

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

Primary Patron
Saint Fidelis of Sigmaringen

Feast Day
April 24

Saint Fidelis of Sigmaringen is invoked as patron of lawyers. Mark Roy was born in 1578 at Sigmaringen in Swabia. He studied philosophy and law at the University of Freiburg im Breisgau, where he received the doctorate in both civil and canon law in 1611, and practiced as a lawyer earning the popular title of advocate of the poor.In 1612 he abandoned the legal profession, was ordained priest, and entered the Capuchin reform of the Franciscan Order, taking the religious name Fidelis. Sources: https://www.vatican.va/content/benedict-xiv/la/bulls/documents/hf_b-xiv_19460629_inter-praeclara.html.

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Saints John Fisher and Thomas More

Feast Day
June 22

Saints John Fisher and Thomas More is invoked as patron of lawyers. Saint John Fisher was born at Beverley, Yorkshire, in 1469. A scholar of Cambridge, he became Master of Michaelhouse, then Vice-Chancellor, and chaplain to Lady Margaret Beaufort, mother of King Henry VII. Sources: https://www.vatican.va/content/john-paul-ii/en/motu_proprio/documents/hf_jp-ii_motu-proprio_20001031_thomas-more.html.

Read full biography of Saints John Fisher and Thomas More →

Frequently Asked Questions

Who is the patron saint of lawyers?

Saint Fidelis of Sigmaringen is the primary patron saint of lawyers. Their feast day is April 24.

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 Fidelis of Sigmaringen's intercession?

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