Patron Saint of Ukraine

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 "Ukraine" 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 Ukraine

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

Primary Patron
Saint Josaphat

Feast Day
November 12

Saint Josaphat is invoked as patron of Ukraine. Born Ioann Kuntsevych around 1580 in Volodymyr (Volhynia), Josaphat grew up in the wake of the Union of Brest of 1596, by which the Ruthenian (Ukrainian and Belarusian) bishops of the Kyivan Metropolia entered into communion with the See of Rome while retaining the Byzantine liturgical and canonical patrimony. Apprenticed as a youth to a merchant in Vilnius, he chose instead the monastic life, entering the Holy Trinity monastery there in 1604 and taking the name Josaphat. Sources: https://www.usccb.org/resources/2026cal.pdf.

Read full biography of Saint Josaphat →

Saint Andrew the Apostle

Feast Day
November 30

Saint Andrew the Apostle is invoked as patron of Ukraine. Andrew was a fisherman from Bethsaida on the Sea of Galilee, the brother of Simon Peter and the son of Jonah (or John). He had been a disciple of Saint John the Baptist, and according to the Gospel of John (1:35-42) he was the first to recognize Jesus as the Messiah and to bring his brother Simon Peter to him. Sources: https://www.usccb.org/resources/2026cal.pdf.

Read full biography of Saint Andrew the Apostle →

Frequently Asked Questions

Who is the patron saint of ukraine?

Saint Josaphat is the primary patron saint of ukraine. Their feast day is November 12.

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 Josaphat's intercession?

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