2. SAINTS, PRESERVE US!

The founding of a new town necessitated the creation of a parish church, which was placed under the titular patronage of a specific saint. Today, barangays and sitios have their own chapels in which their pintakasis (patron saint) are housed. Catholic tradition associates certain saints with specific tasks, and so they were invoked in appropriate instances. Sometimes, iconographic elements determine their special “powers”, subject to folk interpretation. A few examples:


San Pedro Apostol, patron of cockfighters, as the rooster is included as part of his iconography. (Apalit, Pampanga)

San Jose, patron of fathers, families and carpenters. Emblems: Flowering staff, carpentry tools (Navotas/ Las Pinas)


San Miguel Arcangel, patron saint of guards, grocers and supermarket workers
(one of his emblems is a weighing scale). (Masantol, Pampanga/ Hagonoy, Bulacan/ Rizal/ Bacnotan, La Union/ Argao, Cebu)

San Pascual Baylon, patron saints of dancers and cooks. His last name “baylon” is phonetically similar to the Spanish verb “bailar” , to dance. (Obando, Bulacan)

Sta. Lucia, invoked against eye sicknesses, as her eyes were plucked out during her martyrdom. (Sta. Lucia, Ilocos Sur/ Sasmuan, Pampanga)


San Isidro Labrador, patron of farmers and laborers, Attributes: plow, angel, oxen, kneeling Man (Angono, Rizal/ Pulilan, Bulacan/ Tayabas, Quezon. Talavera, N.E./ San Pablo City)

San Vicente Ferrer, patron of builders and preachers. Emblems: wings, trumpet, book. (Sampaloc/ Leganes, Iloilo


San Roque, invoked against pestilence and epidemics. Attributes: Pilgrim staff, dog, angel with a scroll. (Pateros/ Limay, Bataan)

San Fernando Rey, patron of engineers, POWs, paupers and rulers. Emblems: crown, greyhound ( San Fernando, Pampanga/ Lucena City)

Sta. Ana, invoked for safe pregnancies. Attribute: book. (Taguig City,/Sta. Ana, Pampanga)

Sta. Maria Magdalena, patron of repentant sinners and the contemplative life. Attributes: skull, perfume bottle. (Pillila, Laguna/ Magdalena)

San Juan Bautista, patrons of those in the monastic life, Emeblems: slender cross, lamb, sheepskin (Dinalupihan, Bataan/ Taytay, Rizal/ San Juan, Rizal)

Sta. Catalina de Alejandria, patron saint of young girls, millers, old maids, knife sharpeners. Emblem : Spiked wheel, (Porac, Arayat, Pampanga/ Santa, Ilocos Sur/ Sta. Catalina, Ilocos Sur/ Bagac, Bataan/ Carcar, Cebu)


San Antonio de Padua, patron of pregnant women and those who lost something. Emblems: lily, child Jesus, book (Pila, Laguna/ Rosales, Pangasinan/ Marcos, Ilocos Norte)

San Sebastian, patron saint of soldiers and archers. Emblems: arrows, tree. (Tarlac, Tarlac/Famy, Laguna/ Lumban, Laguna/ Bacolod)

Sta. Monica, patron of wives and mothers. Emblems; girdle, tears, handkerchief, cross. (Mexico, Minalin, Pampanga)


San Nicolas de Tolentino, patron of infants, dying people, souls in purgatory. Emblems: patridge on a plate (the bird was revived upon feeding on his plate) ( Mariveles, Bataan/ Cabatuan, Iloilo/ Cabanatuan, Nueva Ecija)

San Andres Apostol, patron of fishermen and fish dealers. Emblem: X-shaped cross. (Paranaque/Candaba, Pampanga )


San Bartolome, patron of tanners, shoe makers (he was martyred by having his skin flayed). Attribute: knife, skin. (Magalang, Pampanga/Catbalogan, Samar)