Patron Saint of People in Exile

Category: Marginalized & Vulnerable

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 "People in Exile" 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 People in Exile

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

Primary Patron
Saint Kateri Tekakwitha

Feast Day
July 14

Saint Kateri Tekakwitha is invoked as patron of people in exile. Saint Kateri Tekakwitha was born in 1656 at the Mohawk village of Ossernenon, in the Iroquois Confederacy of present-day New York State, daughter of a pagan Mohawk chief and a captive Catholic Algonquin mother who had been baptized at Trois-Rivieres. When Kateri was four, a smallpox epidemic killed her parents and infant brother and left her with severely impaired vision and a scarred face; the name Tekakwitha ("she who bumps into things") reflects her near-blindness. Sources: https://www.vatican.va/content/benedict-xvi/en/homilies/2012/documents/hf_ben-xvi_hom_20121021_canonizzazione.html.

Read full biography of Saint Kateri Tekakwitha →

Frequently Asked Questions

Who is the patron saint of people in exile?

Saint Kateri Tekakwitha is the primary patron saint of people in exile. Their feast day is July 14.

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 Kateri Tekakwitha's intercession?

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