Who are the Patron Saints of mental illness?

By Savelli AdminFeb 3, 2022

Among all the Catholic Saints who always watch over us, there are some of them who are considered the Patron Saints of mental illness and mental health.
The role of these Saints is to always protect us from mental illness, depression, anxiety and panic disorders. Dedicating your daily prayers to one of them, may be helpful for you to overcome your anxieties and sad moments.
Are you wondering who they are and how to pay homage to them?
Discover who are four of the most famous ones and when they are celebrated, according to the liturgical calendar.

St. Dymphna

Saint Dymphna, celebrated every year on 15 May, is considered the Patron Saint of mental illness. Many Catholics who suffer from this kind of illness, such as anxiety, panic disorders, depression or mental abuse, often pray for her intercession when they are going through hard times or sad moments. This Saint lived during the seventh century in Ireland and she is linked to mental illness because her father, who was a pagan and experienced severe depression after his wife passed away. His psychosis made him desire to marry his own daughter, since she was as beautiful as her mother and he wanted to find another woman to spend his life with, to replace her dead wife.
In order to run away from a incestuous marriage, Dymphna escaped to Belgium with the old Christian confessor who baptized her when she was a child. Her father Damon chased them to Belgium and killed them both for decapitation. After her death, the place were she was murdered (Geel, Belgium) experienced many miracles, such as miraculous healing of mental ills and possessed people.
Dedicate the following prayer to St. Dymphna for your loved ones with mental disorders.

Prayer to St. Dymphna for mental disorders

Good Saint Dymphna, great wonder-worker in every affliction of mind and body, I humbly implore your powerful intercession with Jesus through Mary, the Health of the Sick, in my present need. (Mention it) Saint Dymphna, martyr of purity, patroness of those who suffer with nervous and mental afflictions, beloved child of Jesus and Mary, pray to Them for me and obtain my request.

(Pray one Our Father, one Hail Mary and one Glory Be.)

Saint Dymphna, Virgin and Martyr, pray for us.

St. Thérèse of Lisieux

In addition to being the Patron Saint of Aviators, Missionaries, Orphans and HIV/AIDS Sufferers, St. Thérèse of Lisieux, whose Feast day is on 1 October, is even considered the Patroness of depression. This Saint herself suffered from OCD (Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder), a mental and behavioral disorder in which an individual has intrusive thoughts and/or feels the need to perform certain routines or rituals repeatedly to extend where it induces distress or impairs general function. If you suffer from the same disorders of St. Thérèse of the Child Jesus, you might find it helpful to dedicate your daily prayers to this famous Saint. Do it with our hand-carved and hand-painted religious statue which depicts this famous Catholic Saint.

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St. Benedict Joseph Labre

Another Patron Saint of those who suffer from mental illness is Saint Benedict Joseph Labre, a French Saint who lived during the XVII century and is celebrated on 16 April. This Saint is memorable for living as one cast out for many years. He tried to enter various monasteries but the monks refused him three times, since they did not believe he really had a vocation and because they were worried about his lack of stability and propensity to wander. For this reason, he had always been considered eccentric and spent most of his life traveling as a pilgrim. Many Christians who suffer from mental or emotional disorders who feel unable to connect with the world, like he did, invoke St. Benedict Joseph Labre to receive emotional comfort.
If you wish to ask this Saint to intercede for one of your loved ones who suffer from illnesses of the human mind, try to dedicate this following prayer to Saint Benedict Joseph Labre.

Prayer to St. Benedict Joseph Labre

Saint Benedict Joseph Labre, you gave up honor, money, and home for the love of Jesus. Help us to set our hearts on Jesus and not on the things of this world. You lived in obscurity among the poor in the streets. Enable us to see Jesus in our poor brothers and sisters and not judge by appearances. Make us realize that in helping them we are helping Jesus. Show us how to befriend them and not pass them by.
Saint Benedict Joseph Labre, you had a great love for prayer. Obtain for us the grace of persevering prayer, especially adoration of Jesus in the Most Blessed Sacrament.
Saint Benedict Joseph Labre, poor in the eyes of men but rich in the eyes of God, pray for us. Amen

Our Lady of Lourdes

In addition to generally being the Patron Saint of the sick, Our lady of Lourdes, celebrated on 11 February, is considered the Patroness of healing and people who suffer from mental illness. Among the numerous miracles which happened in Lourdes after 1858, year of the first Marian apparition to St. Bernadette, many Catholic faithful experienced mental and spiritual miraculous healings.
Since Catholics from all over the world experienced miraculous healings, we know we can always turn to Our Lady of Lourdes for whatever kind of illness: physical, mental and spiritual.
Wishing to give some comfort to your loved ones who are struggling with a mental illness? Give him/her the religious medal of Our Lady of Lourdes and let the Blessed Virgin give her divine protection.
PS: At your request, we can engrave the reverse of this medal with the name of the person who is going to receive it as a gift.