www.byzcath.org Forums General Discussions Town Hall I don't know the name of my patron saint at baptism

Hello,

I don't know what my baptism name is. I asked my parents and they don't remember and the name is not mentioned in the baptism paper, not sure what to do? Any suggestions? Is there anybody who has been in my situation and what did you do?

Thanks

The certificate must have your first name on it. That is apparently your Christian name. In my experience some ethnicities do not give Saints' names to everyone baptised. Serbs, for example, have family Patron Saints (their Slava) and so do not feel it necessary to name each child after a Saint. Middle Eastern Christians, Orthodox and Catholic, sometimes have not been given a Saint's name in Baptism. They are then communed by whatever name they were baptised with.

Fr David Straut

You can also choose your own patron saint & then go get a judge to change your legal name to the name of the saint you choose - perhaps adding it as a middle name...a friend of mine who joined the Catholic Church had been a Baptist & as you know, those good folks do not venerate saints, at least not in the way we do...he too wanted a patron saint, so he chose "Joseph" & had a court change his name to Joseph (as a middle name).

Hello Fr. David,

Traditionally in my family, each child is given a patron saint name. My first name is not a christian name

Thank you Sielos for your suggestion.

Would it possibly be recorded in the church's records?
abby