Patron Saint of Blind

Category: Health & Illness

St. Odilia of Alsace, a 7th-century abbess born blind who received sight at her baptism, is the patron of those with eye problems and the blind. She founded a double monastery at Hohenbourg (Odilienberg) in Alsace. Her feast day is December 13.

St. Raphael the Archangel, who restored the sight of Tobit in the Book of Tobit, is also invoked for eye diseases and blindness. St. Lucy (Lucia) of Syracuse, a 3rd-century martyr whose name means "light," is patron of those with eye diseases and the blind — her name and the story of her martyrdom (which some accounts connect with eyes) made her the natural patron of sight. Her feast day is December 13.

Patron Saint of Blind

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

Primary Patron
Saint Lucy

Feast Day
December 13

Saint Lucy is invoked as patron of the blind. Lucy of Syracuse is one of the most ancient of the venerated virgin martyrs, named in the Roman Canon (Eucharistic Prayer I) of the Mass. The historical evidence for her martyrdom is firmly established: a fourth-century Greek inscription discovered in the catacombs of San Giovanni at Syracuse - a generation or so after her death - records a woman named Euskia who died and was buried on the feast of my lady Lucy, demonstrating that her cult was already established at Syracuse by the middle of the fourth century.The traditional Acts, while embellished, transmit the core narrative: Lucy was born around 283 to a noble Syracusan family, was secretly consecrated to Christ by a private vow of virginity, and refused her mother's plan of marriage to a pagan suitor. Sources: https://www.usccb.org/resources/2026cal.pdf.

Read full biography of Saint Lucy →

Frequently Asked Questions

Who is the patron saint of blind?

Saint Lucy is the primary patron saint of blind. Their feast day is December 13.

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 Lucy's intercession?

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