People and entities commonly described or once thought of as saints in Christian beliefs. The images of many of these figures follow a consistent theme showing a particular aspect of their life history, or of their death. As such the symbolism within the image made recognition of saint possible in different compositions. Often the donor of a statue, painting, or stained glass window, would incorporate an image of a saint associated with the person commissioning the work.
- Saint-Martin-of-Tours
Born in Hungary he became a Christian at the age of 10, and joined the Roman army. Refusing to fight he left the army and travelled to Tours where he studied under Hilary of Poitiers. In 371 he became the Bishop of Tours.
- Saint-Mathias
According to the Acts of the Apostles 1:21–26, Matthias was chosen to replace Judas Iscariot, after the betrayal.
- Saint-Matthew
Was a tax collector for Herod, one of the twelve apostles, and author of the first gospel.
- Saint-Michael
Archangel Michael is the principal angel and field commander of the Army of God. His name is the war-cry of the good angels in the battle fought in heaven against Satan and his followers. He is often depicted triumphant over the enemy, or carrying a pair of scales to weigh souls at the last judgement.
- Saint-Nicholas
4th century Bishop of Myra, who had a reputation for giving secret gifts, and has become associated with Santa Claus myth. He is also supposed to have brought back to life three butchered children and is often shown with three boys climbing out of a barrel.
See "The Golden Legend" for the medieval life of Nicholas.
- Saint-Paul
Also known as Saul of Tarsus, Paul was a zealot persecuting a small Messianic Jewish sect. He was one of those that encouraged a mob to stone to death St Stephen and later organized the arrest of Stephen's friends. He converted to Christianity whilst on the Road to Damascus.
- Saint-Peter
Peter (Simon) was fisherman who owned a boat, and the brother of St Andrew. He was the first disciple of Jesus, and according to the Gospel's of Mark and Matthew he and his brother Andrew were called by Jesus to be "fishers of men". He is always mentioned first amongst the disciples, and along with St John, and St James the Greater he was present at events that were not witnessed by others.
- Saint-Philip
Like Peter and Andrew, Philip was living in Bethsaida and was also a Disciple of John the Baptist. He answered Jesus' call ("Follow me"), and later introduced Nathaniel (Bartholomew) to the group. He is usually listed as the fifth Apostle after Peter, Andrew, James, and John. He died of natural causes and was buried at Hieropolis but later his remains were moved to Constantinople, and afterwards to the church of the Dodici Apostoli in Rome.
- Saint-Philomena
In the nineteenth century the discovery of the bones of a young women during the excavation of Catacombs of Priscilla led to the veneration of a supposed 4th century virgin martyr said to be a that of a Greek princess who was killed when she refused to marry the Emperor Diocletian.
Her life history was revealed to a lay member of the Dominican Order Maria Luisa di Gesù. The cult of Philomena rapidly spread after extraordinary cures were attributed to her.
In 1961 she was removed from the list of Saints.
- Saint-Piat
A 3rd century Belgian missionary that was supposed to have brought Christianity to Chartres and Tournai. Legend is that he was killed by having the top of his skull sliced off.
- Saint-Roch
A legendary figure that is supposed to have been the son of the Governor of Montpellier. He is associated with the plague as he was supposed to have been infected whilst caring for the sick, but was cured with the help of a dog that feed him with food that the dog had taken from his master.
- Saint-Sebastian
Sebastian was killed during the reign of the Emperor Diocletian (285-305). He is supposed to have been tied to a post and shot with arrows, but healed and then later clubbed to death, and his body thrown into a cess pit, so that it could not be recovered and buried. However, he is supposed to have appeared in a dream to St Lucy who then found his body and had it laid in the catacombs.
See "The Golden Legend" for the medieval life of Sebastian.
- Saint-Stephen
Stephen was the first Christian martyr who was stoned to death by a mob, encouraged by a tax collector called Saul, who would later become Saint Paul the Apostle.
See "The Golden Legend" for the medieval life of Stephen.
- Saint-Teresa-of-Ávila
Teresa was a Spanish mystic and Carmelite nun, who along with St John of the Cross is consider the founder of the mendicant order known as the Barefoot Carmelites.
- Saint-Theodore-of-Amasea
4th century Roman soldier who refused to make a sacrifice in a pagan temple and had his flesh torn off.
- Saint-Thomas
One of the apostles of Jesus, noted for having questioned the Resurrection.
See "The Golden Legend" for the medieval life of saint Thomas.
- Saint-Thomas-Becket
Archbishop of Canterbury who opposed Henry II of England, and was killed in Canterbury Cathedral by two knights from Henry's court, in 1170.
- Saint-Timothy
First century bishop of Ephesus who was a follower of St Paul, and the recipient of Paul's Epistles to Timothy.
- Saint-Vincent
Patron saint of winemakers, was a Spanish martyr from the 3rd century. Legend is that his donkey eat the leaves of some vines and that those vines produced the best wine. He is supposed to have been killed by being roasted on a gridiron.
See "The Golden Legend" for the medieval life of saint Vincent.
- Saint-Vincent-Paul
17th century French priest. He was taken captive by Turkish pirates, he became a dedicated to helping the poor, and galley slaves.
