The Patron Saint of What?

By Monica Burton

STAMP COLLECTORS
Saint Gabriel, the Archangel
The exalted messenger—he foretold the births of both Jesus and John the Baptist—is the patron saint of all forms of communication, electronic or postal.

ASTRONAUTS
Saint Joseph of Cupertino
This 17th-century Apulian saint—reportedly a slow-witted boy—was known for levitating in front of witnesses more than 70 times over the course of 17 years. He's also the saint of air travelers, aviators, test takers, and weak students.

TELEVISION
Saint Clare of Assisi
When Saint Clare was too sick to attend Mass, she claimed to be able to see and hear the service on the walls of her room. She is also the saint of telephones, clairvoyance, and eye diseases.

RADIOLOGISTS
Saint Michael the Archangel
The fiery archangel, who casts rebel angels out of heaven, is patron saint to a host of professions: soldiers, paramedics, police officers, postal workers, grocers, and supermarket workers.

VENEREAL DISEASE
Saint Fiacre
Known for treating the diseased during his travels circa the late 600s, this Irish holy man also set up a hospice in Paris. Centuries later, a nearby hotel rented out the first coaches for hire—and Saint Fiacre became the patron of taxis.

THE INTERNET
Saint Isidore
The archbishop of Seville, Isidore was considered to be one of the last great scholars of the ancient Christian world (he's mentioned in Dante's Paradiso). He's the saint of students—and, now, the Web.

ADVERTISING
Saint Bernardine
A skilled theologian and preacher, this saint from Sienna drew enormous crowds to his sermons, which could last up to four hours. Donations to the church soared among his listeners. Now he's the patron of public relations.

Uncommon Knowledge

Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.

Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.

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