Most of us probably only know the patron saints of our own countries but did you know that professions, societies, organizations and societal groups can adopt patron saints as their heavenly advocates too? Patron saints are adopted by all sorts. Let’s take look at a few.

↓ next ↓ 1. St Julian – Carnival Workers (Your reaction) Thank you! To kick off this list of unusual patron saints is St Julian who, for absolutely no reason I can logically fathom, is the patron saint of carnival workers. After murdering his own parents by accident (he mistook them for his wife and her adulterous lover), he devoted his life to God and founded various hospitals and helped the needy. We are still none the wiser about the connection to carnival workers, though. ↓ next ↓ 2. St Monica – Alcoholics (Your reaction) Thank you! St Monica was the mother of St Augustine of Hippo, one of the most famous men in the world. She, her husband – who only converted to Christianity on his death bed after a lifetime of her nagging him – and her son were all fond of wine, which is perhaps why she is now the patron saint of alcoholics.

↓ next ↓ 3. St Vitus – Oversleeping (Your reaction) Thank you! If I had to be one of these unusual patron saints, I would probably be St Vitus – after all, what better excuse to oversleep on the weekends? He lived a tough life, and was tortured after attempting to coax a demon out of the son of a Roman Emperor. He was thrown into a vat of boiling hot oil as a punishment. A rooster was thrown in alongside him, and it is believed that is why he is the patron saint of oversleeping.

↓ next ↓ 4. St Jude Thaddeus – Lost Causes (Your reaction) Thank you! Jude was one of the 12 Apostles of Jesus, but lived by many names: Thaddeus, Jude, Jude of James, Judas (not THAT Judas) or Lebbaeus. Little is known about him, other than his name has been largely forgotten and his work overshadowed by the other Apostles – although not always for very good reasons. That is why he has become known as our patron saint of lost causes, or failed hopes.

↓ next ↓ 5. St Ambrose – Beekeepers (Your reaction) Thank you! The legend goes that as a child St Ambrose had a swarm of bees land on his face. The bees flew away, leaving behind one drop of pure honey. The story seems to have been passed down generations, and – unlike the bees – the name stuck to St Ambrose, who became the patron saint of beekeepers. At least this strange patron saint has a good story behind it! ↓ next ↓ 6. St Bibiana – Hangovers (Your reaction) Thank you! Perhaps my favorite unusual patron saint is St Bibiana, and her hangovers. The reason might not be the same as you think, however: Bibiana was forced to convert to Paganism after the Roman Emperor Julian killed her family. She was eventually brutally murdered and left to be eaten by wild animals, but on her grave grew plants which were associated with treating hangovers. It is unlikely she ever partook in alcohol herself, which makes this story all the more sad.