Doctors have always been very important in the life of each one of us. From birth to death and sometimes post-death too we seek help and assistance from doctors. They play a significant role in everyone’s life. Their life is fully dedicated to society but sometimes we forget them and their kind of job risks. Even doctors have their own Patron Saints. Here are some patron saints for them to pray and ask for help in their difficulties.
Sts. Cosmas and Damian
Considered the Patron Saints of Medicine, the feast day of Saints Cosmas and Damian is celebrated on 26 September. They are twins, beheaded, or with medical emblems that recall their patronage. In addition to being the Patrons of Medicine, they are even considered the Patrons of Surgeons, Physicians, Identical Twins, Dentists; Protectors of Children, Barbers, Pharmacists, Veterinarians, Orphanages, Day-care Centers, Confectioners, Children in house and they are especially invoked against hernia, bedsores and illness, in general.
During their life, they were two Roman Doctors among the first martyrs of Christianity. Since they were used to not asking anything for their medical services, many people of that age who completely recovered from their illness converted themselves to the Christian faith.
If you are very devoted to these two famous Saints, here is the religious statue which represents them together.
Completely realized in hand-painted resin, this Catholic statue from the Vatican is the most appropriate religious article you can have to adore these special Saints, Protectors of Doctors.
St. Luke the Apostle
Another Catholic Saint that is considered the Patron of Doctors, more specifically of Physicians, is St. Luke the Apostle, celebrated every year on 18 October. In addition to being one of the twelve apostles, Saint Luke is the author of the third Gospel and the Acts of the Apostles. He is generally considered the Patron Saint of Physicians, but also protects Surgeons, Artists, Bachelors and Farmers.
During his life, he was a Doctor, came from a pagan family and was part of the St. Paul’s Companion. Saint Paul describes him as a man with a good culture, a fluent and elegant Greek and an excellent knowledge of the Bible.
St. Panteleimon
The third Catholic Saint who is considered the Patron of Doctors, is Saint Panteleimon. The feast day is celebrated on 27 July every year. His native place is Nicomedia and was the son of Eustorgius and Eubula. His father was an idolater, but his mother was a Christian from her ancestors. It was through her that he was instructed in piety, and still later, he was catechized in the Faith of Christ by Saint Hermolaus and baptized by him. Being proficient in the physician’s vocation, he practised it in a philanthropic manner, healing every illness more by the grace of Christ than by medicines. Thus, although his parents had named him Pantoleon (“in all things a lion”), because of the compassion he showed for the souls and bodies of all, he was worthily renamed Panteleimon, meaning “all-merciful.”