First, this is the soldier's idea. 

Some of you know he gave me a medal of his saint to wear (Joan of Arc) and wants to wear a medal of my saint. The problem is we don't know who my saint is. I have tried various things to try to find out - some of them normal, others shocking and drastic but have had no luck.

Long story short, he suggested I come on here and ask you guys if you were picking a saint you would associate me with - who would it be?

Thanks

Well, here's some thoughts.

St. Florian is the patron saint of firefighters. You're gritty and good at putting out the fires in life, so that might be one. 

St. Jude is the patron saint of lost causes. We know you've led a life that others would be lost as to how to deal with, so it's safe to say St. Jude is doing the trick in keeping you "found" right? 

Don't know if they resonate with you, but that's my thought process. 

Failing that: http://www.catholic.org/saints/patron.php?letter=A

a whole ton of saints for the picking; apparently even skaters have one.

Someone tough!

Hm... perhaps st. jerome.

"Jerome was a strong, outspoken man. He had the virtues and the unpleasant fruits of being a fearless critic and all the usual moral problems of a man. He was, as someone has said, no admirer of moderation whether in virtue or against evil. He was swift to anger, but also swift to feel remorse, even more severe on his own shortcomings than on those of others. A pope is said to have remarked, on seeing a picture of Jerome striking his breast with a stone, 'You do well to carry that stone, for without it the Church would never have canonized you.'"

I feel very strongly about you and St. Sophia.  I read about her a few months ago and instantly thought of you at the time.  Would have mentioned it, but, y'know, I didn't think this would come up.   In case you're wondering why, don't want to weird you out because you may read this and think "why the hell did she think of me", but I think it was the Italian, the wisdom, and that her story features her relationship with her daughters that made me think of you.  (It's a brutal story, but then, most martyrs have them.)

http://www.st-sophia.com/BioStSophia.htm

St Valentine of Rome

Happy marriages, love

http://www.catholic.org/saints/saint.php?saint_id=159

and he's Italian

where in Italy are your family from?

I'm not Catholic, but would it usually have something to do with your name?...

In any case, my vote (for whatever it's worth!) is for St. Dominic, the patron saint of astronomy. In the middle ages, there's no way that didn't mean astrology as well, right?! More on St. Dominic, who has an amazing story (like all the saints do), can be found here: 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Dominic

This is probably a Neptune/MC projection,  but St. Martha--patron saint of servants comes to mind.

Your stories about your sister dreaming, communing with the cosmos and you cooking for the family reminds me of Martha (Virgo)  and her sister Mary (Pisces) and the serve/transcend axis.

My family is from Bassano Del Grappa. My middle name is not associated with a saint but my sibs - yes.  Elsa would be Elizabeth but I don't think that is right.

You're going to be rolling in saints, but another thought - you once linked a post on Astro Dispatch from Oculus Divinorum (link broken now) titled "Venus-Neptune contacts and the divinity of love" and it focused on Saint Teresa of Avila, associated with Venus-Neptune because of her ecstasy.

I'm a bit traditional about one's Saint, I went straight to your name to see what I found.  There's always more than one option and since your name would appear to be short for Elizabeth, I read through the Elizabeth choices.  There's one in particular that resonates for me:  Elizabeth of Shönau.  The other choices didn't 'fit' you.  So what struck me most is that she had visions and 'supernatural manifestations'.  When I think of all your writing I think that you must be channeling because you do have so much to say and you say it so wisely and well... anyway, just my humble opinion.  I do prefer the traditional Name Saint or Date of Birth Saint, but there isn't always one. I also like this choice because even though she is known as Saint Elizabeth of Shönau, she was never formally canonized and that's so you!

http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/05392a.htm

This is terrifically interesting, thank you. We're reading through all this stuff.

I am pretty sure my parents named a saint when I was born because there was a medal taped in my baby book. 

Thing is someone stole my baby book if you can believe that. \

I had it out and 2 weeks later the FBI wanted it so I went home to get it for them and could not find and I mean I have never found it since and obviously never will as almost 20 years have passed.

I love saints' stories, I'm glad everyone is posting here. (and I am not Catholic!  I just have always had an affinity with the patron saint thing.  My sister is actually a converted Catholic now, though.)

Great, weird story from my family-- my father always wanted to name a child Benjamin.  He then had 3 girls in a row.  Finally, his fourth child was a boy, my brother, of course given the name Benjamin.  Ben was born prematurely on March 31 (feisty Aries that he is).  Years later, I had a French school calendar, and was writing my family's birthdays in it, when I saw that March 31 was St. Benjamin's day.  He was born 'accidentally' on his saint's name day even though that name was intended for him years and years before his existence.

Sorry that you lost your baby book, not to mention for God's sake, had it sought after by the Feds.

I'm not a Catholic, but St. Augustine comes to mind:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Augustine_of_Hippo

-framed the theology of just war 

-was of Berber descent (from the desert)

-was one of the most prolific Latin authors of surviving works

I learned about him from one of my parents, who read his Confessions during a period of profound grief. In a strange coincidence, his feast day is the same day as my parents' wedding anniversary. 

Jessica, thanks. I really wish I had that thing. It's a big mystery who does. Personally I think it was tossed / buried in the desert like dead body but admit some obsessed man might have it like that guy who saved my hair once. ::smiles::

Prayer to the patron saint of lost items

St. Anthony! 

St. Anthony, St. Anthony, please come around.

Something has been lost and can not be found

I am not Catholic, but I immediately thought of St Catherine of Siena: prolific writer, known for dictating three documents to three secretaries at once.  Unafraid of authority, and would tell kings, queens and popes what she really thought of their behavior.  Lived through famine, civil wars, and the Black Death.  Patron saint of Italy, also firefighters, nurses, and people ridiculed for their beliefs.

what a great question. I am not catholic (or a saint!) but i have a thing for st francis and that makes sense to me for you, the way you are with the animals: the ones in your home, the ones of the zodiac, and all of us here

Hi Elsa,

I think it should St. Christopher.  Sometimes a saint, sometimes not.  On the surface he is considered the patron saint of travelers,  but that includes all travel originally sailors and storms as his job was to assist people cross the mighty powerful river.  See the boatman in eastern religions.  How he got that job was he was originally suppose to fast and pray,  but he couldn't do it.  So because of his size and his strength he was ordered to help people cross a dangerous river.   Older drawings on him depict a man with a dog's head,  perhaps because he "sniffed" out the truth,  or because a dog is a direct descendant of the wolf.  A female version of this would be La Loba, or La Que Sabe, Hepate, or La voz metologica. 

So I vote for St. Christopher as his theme appears in Catholicism,  eastern religions, and myths of the wild woman archetype. 

i love this post! having a bit of an obsession with saints i am learning about so many here!

Well, the minute I read your post St. Barbara came to my mind. I did further research

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Barbara This states that she is the patron over Artillerymen,masons, mathematicians,miners,military engineers,stonecutters, anyone afraid of lightening, and anyone who works at risk of sudden and violent death.

One reason is I have read up and know friends that practice Santaria and Shango the god of Thunder is represented by St. Barabara. Shango/Chango is a badass warrior.

I am trying to sell my house.  Between the market and my uranus being no where near my 4th house,  I buried a statue of St. Joseph  next to the for sale sign.  Something has to work!

if it can return, i hope it does.

horrible to lose something like that.

This could be taken the wrong way but what about St. Jude? The patron saint of lost causes who is called upon in times of desperation. People at the ends of their ropes tend to pray to him for help and if he does, you're supposed to thank him with a personal ad in the paper. I always liked that.

http://www.stjudenovena.org/aboutstjude.html

St Rita of Cascia, because she iscalled the saint of the impossible! Also, St Francis - I'm sure Dora would agree!

I thought of St. Therese, the "Little Flower", giving roses to everyone who comes looking for her help.  http://www.littleflower.org/

I have her autobiography--it's a really fascinating story and read.

St. Augustine

Bassano del Grappa!  I like knowing where you're from.  I would have expected you to be from Southern Italy, Calabria, for your coloring, warmth, feeding of people, playing cards, criminal mind, and what you call your loudness. :)

I was poking around the internet and came up with Elsa Bailey Seton who was the 1st american saint who died in 1821 and was canonized in 1975.

Couldn't find any other information though. 

http://www.helium.com/items/853161-behind-the-name-elsa

One saint comes to mind: Christina the Astonishing.  From Wikipedia:<
Born a peasant, Christina was orphaned at 15. When she was 21, she is said to have suffered a massive seizure. According to the story, her condition was so severe that witnesses assumed she had died. A funeral was held, but during the service, she "arose full of vigor, stupefying with amazement the whole city of St. Trond, which had witnessed this wonder." Then, "The astonishment increased when they learned from her own mouth what had happened to her after her death."

She related that she had witnessed heaven, hell, and purgatory…. She was transported to Heaven, where these words were spoken to her, “My dear daughter, you will one day be with Me. Now, however, I allow you to choose, either to remain with Me, or to return again to earth to accomplish a mission of charity and suffering. In order to deliver from the flames of Purgatory those souls which have inspired you with so much compassion, you shall suffer for them upon earth: you shall endure great torments, without however dying from their effects. And not only will you relieve the departed, but the example which you will give to the living, and your continual suffering, will lead sinners to be converted and to expiate their crimes. After having ended this new life, you shall return here laden with merits."

As chronicled by her contemporaries, she threw herself into burning furnaces and there suffered great tortures for extended time uttering frightful cries, yet coming forth with no sign of burning upon her. She was chased by dogs that bit and tore her flesh. She ran from them into thickets of thorns, and though covered in blood she would return with no wound or scar.

I was thinking St. Christopher, protector of travelers... but I honestly don't know much about saints and in fact am learning a lot on this thread! :)

I have to update this freakishly interesting thread.

First, I did find out who my saint was. This was why I was trying to contact my mother... I did contact my mother and it is Saint Elizabeth mother of John the Baptist in line with my name.

I also found out (or rather my husband figured out) what happened to my baby book. I am satisfied with his conclusion so consider this to be two mysteries solved.

Now I am going to RCIA and if I finish I will get to name my own saint so if anyone has other ideas, please post them because your ideas and insights are very helpful to me as it's so hard for me to see myself.

I do wear my husband's saint all the time and will like it when we complete this circuit.

Santa Rosalia of Palermo is a winner in my family :)

I chose St. Elizabeth when I got confirmed, so I may not be the right person to ask... Go with your heart, Elsa- this is YOUR choice... do what feels 'right' to you.

How sentimental of both of you, very nice.:)  Catholic school seems like eons ago, but I do remember enjoying learning about the Saints.  Here's a Saint who used to run around barefoot, makes me think of you and your dirty feet....hahaha!

St. Clare
http://magnificat.ca/cal/engl/08-12.htm

Give me chastity, and give me constancy--but do not give it yet.

--St. Augustine I think.

(Blows out frustrated puff of air to distract bangs.) I wish I could say this quote in all honesty. Not fair. And isn't St.Augustine, FL, the oldest continuously lived in city in America? Way off I know, I was just curious to see what everyone picked. : )

St Elizabeth's feast day was yesterday. :)

Glad you have some closure (?) on the baby book.

Funny to see my blog mentioned in this thread. For some reason, I can't see any of the mystics suiting, but a few have been mentioned. Augustine maybe b/c he was pretty frank about his sex drive and had a sense of humour.

St Jude the lost causes one is my fall back but I never thought too much about it.

I always thought they all are available, kind of like the signs. each sign is in your chart and influences you in some way, well what each saint is responsible for can affect you too in some way, or would planets be a more appropriate example, anyways there should be a list out there.

My son is reading St. Augustine now.  That man was brilliant, but repeated himself half to death, and was terribly influenced by his holier-than-thou (and me, and everybody else) mama Monica. 

His view of good and evil came from logic, though, and was considered (still is) quite a breakthrough... Since God is good, and God cannot create evil, basically evil is the result of the wrong exercise of free will; IOW God did not create evil. Evil is more or less a lack of good. To you can choose the lesser good, or the even lesser good, etc.  Basically, if somebody gets hurt, it is the fallout from some choice to take the less-good path.   

My name-saint is Philomena, theoretically a Roman virgin-martyr who they tried to kill thrice by various means before the execution actually took, finally, by means of having her head lopped clean off.  At 13.  For resisting partnership with a rich pagan.  Yeah, choice of saint is probably significant.