Seven Saints For Singles

In Catholic tradition, there are multiple saints we remember on each day of the year.

This week, let's reflect on a few saints who lived wonderful single lives.

1. St. Agatha, martyred in Sicily around the year 250, was tortured for resisting an imperial magistrate who tried to blackmail her into sex in exchange for not turning her into the authorities for being a Christian. She refused and went nobly to her death.

2. Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati, a fun-loving young adult living during the early 20th century in Turin, Italy, who died at the age of 24 after contracting a disease from a poor man whom he assisted. He had dedicated his single life to serving the poor and sick, advocating for social causes, and maintained a rich devotion to the Eucharist.

3. St. Praxides, the virtuous daughter of a Roman senator in the 2nd century who never married, gave freely of her family fortunes to the Christian churches being persecuted in Rome.

4. St. Casmir of Poland, a 15th century prince who lived an austere life of prayer, Marian devotion, and service to the poor. After a bad experience on the battlefield, Casmir also became a conscientious objector to war for the remainder of his life.

5. St. Zita of Lucca, a domestic servant in the 13th century who gave her own rations and the food of her wealthy employer to the poor and suffering, which at first made her unpopular with the family and with the other servants. Eventually, though, she was put in charge of the whole household.

6. St. Guy of Anderlecht, a poor Belgian man in the 10th century who, out of penance for his greed and selfishness, went on a long pilgrimage on foot from northern Europe to Rome and Jerusalem. Despite his economic hardship, he did his best to maintain a grateful disposition all his life.

7. St. Joseph Moscati, the first modern doctor to be canonized, helped stop cholera in Naples, had a doctorate in physiological chemistry, and ran a hospital for wounded soliders during World War I. He lived his life in service for others, and died of a stroke in between treating patients one afternoon in April of 1927.

These are just a few of the holy men and women we can look up to. (If you’re curious about others, check out this patron saints index.) These saints weren’t perfect, but they give us courage and inspiration in the 21st century to live out our faith and become the best versions of ourselves.