Any ideas for a patron saint?

[icecreamsandwich]

Hi all .

I apologise for creating yet another thread on this oft-repeated topic, but I'm not sure where to go with choosing a patron saint. I've read many posts / articles on here and online about choosing a patron saint, but still am confused.

I'd initially thought of choosing a Byzantine Emperor. It's by reading about the Byzantines that I first learned about Orthodoxy, and St. Justinian's story and "against all odds" history really inspired me - I was especially pleased to hear the first time I attended a Liturgy that hymns from his time (and even one he composed) were being sung. However I don't know if it's a good idea to be picking a saint *precisely* because they were an Emperor, and he seems to be largely obscure in the Church. I'd also thought of Constantine, who'd be good, but truth be told, I'm still not comfortable with how he was baptised on his deathbed, and that he was an Arian also seems to be a bit, well, I don't feel comfortable with it.

I next thought of the Three Heirarchs. I don't know too much about St. Gregory (Nazaraius) yet, but Sts Basil and Chrysostom seem to both have been very involved with monks. That's not a bad thing, but (and I'm aware this sounds silly lol) the implication seems to be that you'd somehow aspire to be a monastic by having such a saint as your patron. However, I GREATLY enjoy the Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom and I also like St. Basil's Liturgy (even though I've only attended two) - I find it an inspiration that they were able to construct Liturgies.

Next, I thought of an American saint, but unfortunately they don't yet seem to be very common. I'd settled on Sts Tikhon of Moscow, and Innocent & Herman of Alaska. However, Sts Herman & Innocent were very heavily involved in evangelism, for which the same caveat as before seems to apply - I don't see myself as an evangelist so while I like them it makes it hard to relate. With St. Tikhon, I like that he helped to reinstitute the Western Rite, but again, he seems like a church builder / evangelist.

I've checked for saints / feast days on my birthday but nothing comes up that I'd be very captivated by.

The other opportunity is that my middle name is a derivative of John - I could pick *a* John, but which?

I'd like to find either a saint that fits me within the ones I've listed, or a saint that had to deal with tough circumstances in a foreign land, but wasn't a super preacher or church founder anything - just someone who tried to help the needy and help / inspire others and was humble and had great love for the Lord. Any help would be appreciated, and thank you .  

[Asteriktos]

How about St. John of Shanghai and San Francisco? He seems to cover a number of the things you mentioned:

- Named John

- An American saint

- Not originally from America, and he was a clergyman in lands foreign to him multiple times (America, China, France)

- He was very saintly and humble (and quite a character!), but not particularly known as a super-ascetic or super-monastic or anything like that

- He dealt with tough circumstances in that ROCOR was small, its status was shaky, Orthodoxy was still fairly "foreign" in America, and there was tension on multiple fronts within ROCOR

- He also was very pro-western, not having the anti-western sentiment that some have in the Church

[Nephi]

If you ignore your middle name there's always St. Raphael of Brooklyn and St. Alexander Hotovitzky - both "American" saints.

[icecreamsandwich]

How about St. John of Shanghai and San Francisco? He seems to cover a number of the things you mentioned:

- Named John

- An American saint

- Not originally from America, and he was a clergyman in lands foreign to him multiple times (America, China, France)

- He was very saintly and humble (and quite a character!), but not particularly known as a super-ascetic or super-monastic or anything like that

- He dealt with tough circumstances in that ROCOR was small, its status was shaky, Orthodoxy was still fairly "foreign" in America, and there was tension on multiple fronts within ROCOR

- He also was very pro-western, not having the anti-western sentiment that some have in the Church

Wow - thank you very much - his life seems very interesting and I relate to him really well...

If you ignore your middle name there's always St. Raphael of Brooklyn and St. Alexander Hotovitzky - both "American" saints.

Thank you for the names - I will have to read some more about them and report back .

[Shanghaiski]

St. John of San Francisco was also in favor of converts keeping their Christian name, if they have one.

[Thomas]

I really think that is appropriate. Most however need to be given a life of their patron saint as an example to live by, many Christians do not know who their patron is. Or even more important which one is their patron for those with the same names  (example John---Sts John the Forerunner, Apostle John, John Climacus, John of Kronstad, John of Shanhai and San Francisco...etc).
 

[Alpo]

Just stick with your name if it is already a Christian name. There will never be Orthodox America if churches are filled with newly-baptized Vladimirs and Constantines.

[Tommelomsky]

I really think that is appropriate. Most however need to be given a life of their patron saint as an example to live by, many Christians do not know who their patron is. Or even more important which one is their patron for those with the same names  (example John---Sts John the Forerunner, Apostle John, John Climacus, John of Kronstad, John of Shanhai and San Francisco...etc).
 

But a question..say in my case where/when being a catechumen, Saint Seraphim of Sarov has entered my life and is very much there all the time, is this one of the things a priest could look at when you are asked to pick a patron saint name?

Forgive me if this sounds strange, english is not my native tongue or writing.

[Peacemaker]

Find a Saint who you can relate to, I find those are some of the best.

For example, my Saint is Saint John of the Ladder. I picked him because he is a teacher of monks, I'm in the process of becoming a monastic. His teachings of the ladder are something I need in my life because I have a lot of struggles (being a convert who walk away from the faith when I was younger and stayed away for over 15 years) his teachings give me strength to hold onto the ladder and not to give up when my foot starts to slip and and I start to fall. Seeing the monks who are falling and being pulled down by the demons reminds me of the life I use to live and don't want to end up again. My middle name is also John.

Sometimes, a Saint will pick you as well. I've heard stories about this happening. You'll see a vision in a dream or some weird coincidence happens.  Make sure to talk to your priest if something like that does happen so you don't fall into misguided illusion.

[JamesR]

Pick someone you can relate to, don't be lazy and pick someone just because they have the same name.

[Peacemaker]

don't be lazy and pick someone just because they have the same name.

It's not laziness, in most cases it's showing respect to your parents who named you. If I gave my kid a biblical name (first or middle), I would be honored and happy that they used it, instead of taking on a different name. This is how my presbyteria explained it to me and it makes sense.

[jmbejdl]

Pick someone you can relate to, don't be lazy and pick someone just because they have the same name.

I wasn't even given the option. I was given a list of Sts. James, told to read up on them and pick one. In actual fact one, who I'd never even heard of prior, jumped out immediately to the point where I told people that he felt like he already was my patron and I'd discovered, rather than chosen him. Personally, I think that if you have a Christian name already you should continue to use that.

James

[Michał Kalina]

Pick someone you can relate to, don't be lazy and pick someone just because they have the same name.

That's how it works. Most people do not do some lame beauty contests for saints.

[Asteriktos]

Pick someone you can relate to, don't be lazy and pick someone just because they have the same name.

That's how it works. Most people do not do some lame beauty contests for saints.

I don't understand what you mean here by "lame beauty contests"... 

[Michał Kalina]

Pick someone you can relate to, don't be lazy and pick someone just because they have the same name.

That's how it works. Most people do not do some lame beauty contests for saints.

I don't understand what you mean here by "lame beauty contests"...  

I mean when a person named Thomas for example does not have St. Thomas for a patron-Saint but chooses between eg. St. Athanasius and St. Theodosius depending which one is "spiritually and personally close". That's what I call to myself beauty contests.

In this part of the world your patron Saint is the one who you are named after (unless you don't have a Saint's name). Period.

[Asteriktos]

Ahh, ok, I understand now

[Tommelomsky]

My name actually comes from Thomas, I asked someone with the nickname Thomas. But I did not have that patron name in mind.
It was more a general question. I do actually have a patron saintname in mind.

In due time we will see if the name that it will be, is choosing me or being chosen by me. I am open for both.

[Shanghaiski]

Pick someone you can relate to, don't be lazy and pick someone just because they have the same name.

That's how it works. Most people do not do some lame beauty contests for saints.

What an image!

[icecreamsandwich]

Pick someone you can relate to, don't be lazy and pick someone just because they have the same name.

That's how it works. Most people do not do some lame beauty contests for saints.

I don't understand what you mean here by "lame beauty contests"...  

I mean when a person named Thomas for example does not have St. Thomas for a patron-Saint but chooses between eg. St. Athanasius and St. Theodosius depending which one is "spiritually and personally close". That's what I call to myself beauty contests.

In this part of the world your patron Saint is the one who you are named after (unless you don't have a Saint's name). Period.

What about in a situation like mine where there are multiple saints for the name?

The way it seems to be is the saint is either decided for you by someone, or you decide for yourself. Either way it seems to be an "extreme" of sorts.

[Michał Kalina]

Pick someone you can relate to, don't be lazy and pick someone just because they have the same name.

That's how it works. Most people do not do some lame beauty contests for saints.

I don't understand what you mean here by "lame beauty contests"... 

I mean when a person named Thomas for example does not have St. Thomas for a patron-Saint but chooses between eg. St. Athanasius and St. Theodosius depending which one is "spiritually and personally close". That's what I call to myself beauty contests.

In this part of the world your patron Saint is the one who you are named after (unless you don't have a Saint's name). Period.

What about in a situation like mine where there are multiple saints for the name?

The way it seems to be is the saint is either decided for you by someone, or you decide for yourself. Either way it seems to be an "extreme" of sorts.

The most popular one or the closest to your birth date.

[icecreamsandwich]

Pick someone you can relate to, don't be lazy and pick someone just because they have the same name.

That's how it works. Most people do not do some lame beauty contests for saints.

I don't understand what you mean here by "lame beauty contests"... 

I mean when a person named Thomas for example does not have St. Thomas for a patron-Saint but chooses between eg. St. Athanasius and St. Theodosius depending which one is "spiritually and personally close". That's what I call to myself beauty contests.

In this part of the world your patron Saint is the one who you are named after (unless you don't have a Saint's name). Period.

What about in a situation like mine where there are multiple saints for the name?

The way it seems to be is the saint is either decided for you by someone, or you decide for yourself. Either way it seems to be an "extreme" of sorts.

The most popular one or the closest to your birth date.

That makes sense - thanks .

Well, I think I've been obsessing about it too much so I'm just going to pray and ask my priest who he thinks would work and then go from there. Thank you so much all, for the help.

[Asteriktos]

Pick someone you can relate to, don't be lazy and pick someone just because they have the same name.

That's how it works. Most people do not do some lame beauty contests for saints.

I don't understand what you mean here by "lame beauty contests"...  

I mean when a person named Thomas for example does not have St. Thomas for a patron-Saint but chooses between eg. St. Athanasius and St. Theodosius depending which one is "spiritually and personally close". That's what I call to myself beauty contests.

In this part of the world your patron Saint is the one who you are named after (unless you don't have a Saint's name). Period.

Beauty will save the world? 

[Tommelomsky]

The best advice is that. There are many helpful and kind souls here. But in the end, it is only your priest and you (that you-me relationship)
that can work out a good solution.

Pray for it and let God through your priest come up with a good name that works for you.

Blessings.

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