Patron Saint of Travelers

Category: Travel & Pilgrimage

Travel in the ancient world was dangerous, and Christians quickly began invoking heavenly protection for those making journeys. St. Christopher, venerated from at least the 5th century, became the most widely recognized patron of travelers in the Latin West. St. Raphael the Archangel, whose name means "God heals," accompanied Tobiah on a long journey in the Book of Tobit and is likewise invoked for travelers and the sick.

The practice of carrying a St. Christopher medal in a vehicle or keeping one on a keychain remains common among Catholics worldwide, reflecting the enduring tradition of seeking saintly protection for safe journeys.

Patron Saints of Travelers

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

Primary Patron
Saint Anthony of Padua

Feast Day
June 13

Saint Anthony of Padua is invoked as patron of travelers. Saint Anthony of Padua was born Fernando Martins de Bulhoes in Lisbon, Portugal, in 1195, of a noble Portuguese family. About 1210 he entered the Augustinian Canons Regular, first at Lisbon and then at the great house of Santa Cruz in Coimbra, where he received his theological training and was ordained priest.In 1220, profoundly moved by the relics of the five Franciscan protomartyrs slain in Morocco that year, Fernando transferred to the Order of Friars Minor and took the religious name Anthony, after the desert father whose hermitage stood near his new friary. Sources: https://www.vatican.va/content/benedict-xvi/en/audiences/2010/documents/hf_ben-xvi_aud_20100210.html.

Read full biography of Saint Anthony of Padua →

Saints Michael, Gabriel, and Raphael, Archangels

Feast Day
September 29

Saints Michael, Gabriel, and Raphael, Archangels is invoked as patron of travelers. The Feast of Saints Michael, Gabriel and Raphael, popularly known as Michaelmas, honors the three archangels named in Sacred Scripture. The feast was originally a Roman dedication-feast: on 29 September a basilica of Saint Michael, the Basilica Sancti Michaelis Archangeli in Septimo or Salaria, was dedicated near Rome in the fifth century. Sources: https://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p1s2c1p5.htm.

Read full biography of Saints Michael, Gabriel, and Raphael, Archangels →

Frequently Asked Questions

Who is the patron saint of travelers?

Saint Anthony of Padua is the primary patron saint of travelers. Their feast day is June 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 Anthony of Padua's intercession?

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