AKA: Troubled Marriages, Happy Marriages, Married Couples, Marriage Problems
Marriage is a sacred bond between a husband and a wife who make a commitment to share their lives together. It is a partnership based on love, respect, and mutual understanding. The success of a marriage depends on the commitment of both partners to maintain a strong and enduring relationship built on devotion, fidelity and of course, putting God at the center of it.
While marriage can bring great joy and fulfillment, it also brings challenges that require patience, communication, and compromise to overcome. In this way, marriage is both a source of great value and a test of character, requiring couples to navigate the complexities of life together while remaining true to their bond and their commitment to one another. Adding children into the mix can not only greatly increase the love and happiness but also increases the complication and trials.
No two marriages are alike. Some are filled with so many happy moments while others can be very troubled and filled with problems and everything in between. No matter what kind of marriage you are in, it is very important to include God in your relationship. On top of that, it never hurts to invoke the help of those saints who know a thing or two about marriage and what makes it work.
Who is the Patron Saint of Marriage
There is no clear leader when it comes to the Patron Saint of Marriage because marriages are so different. But the two most likely that rise to the top are St. Joseph on the happy side and St. Monica on the troubled side. There are other marriage saints to choose from, however. There is St. Valentine, St. Rita, St. Edward the Confesssor, St. Louis and St. Thomas More.
St. Joseph was the devoted and loving husband to Mary. He was chosen by God to be the earthly father of Jesus and took on the responsibility of caring for Mary and raising Jesus as his own son. He is known for his resolute faith, unwavering devotion, and strong sense of duty to his family.
While Mary and Joseph’s marriage was not traditional, as it was a virginal marriage, it is still an excellent example of a true and happy marriage. Who doesn’t want a truly happy marriage? One where the husband and wife share one heart and follow the will of God no matter what. It is said they didn’t need the sexual act of consummation, which is a preview of the joy that comes to the soul when it attains union with God, because they already had it.
St. Monica was born in North Africa in 331 AD, and although her parents were Christians, she was given in marriage to a pagan man named Patricius. Despite his violent temper and unfaithfulness, Monica remained committed to her marriage and prayed for her husband's conversion throughout their 22 years of marriage. She suffered greatly during her marriage which makes her a great Patron Saint of Trouble Marriages. Her steadfast faith and prayers eventually paid off, however, and Patricius converted to Christianity and was baptized before his death. Afterall, what are we called to do in a marriage but to get our spouse into heaven.
As a result of her unwavering commitment to her marriage and her family, St. Monica is considered a model of Christian virtue and serves as an inspiration to those seeking to strengthen their marriages through faith, prayer, and perseverance.
St. Valentine is somewhat shrouded in mystery. He is believed to have been a priest and possibly a Bishop who lived in the third century A.D. in Rome during the reign of Emperor Claudius II. According to legend, Claudius had banned marriage for young men, believing that unmarried men made better soldiers. Valentine defied this order and continued to perform marriages for young couples in secret. When his actions were discovered, he was imprisoned and sentenced to death. While in prison, Valentine is said to have healed the blind daughter of his jailer and wrote her a farewell letter signed "Your Valentine." His commitment to marriage made him popular with those seeking a committed, loving marriage.
St. Rita of Cascia was born in Italy in 1381 and married at the age of 18 to a man named Paolo Mancini, even though she wanted to be a nun and her parents had concerns about his violent temper. Despite his mistreatment of her, Rita remained a faithful and devoted wife for 18 years and had two sons with him. She applied the virtues of patience and humility regarding him, and over time, her love, example, and prayers started a conversion of Paolo’s heart before he was killed in a feud with another family.
After her husband's death, Rita desired to enter a convent but was initially refused entry because she was a widow and the convent was reserved for virgins. She persisted in her prayers and eventually gained admission to the convent, where she spent the rest of her life in prayer, fasting, and service to others.
Many couples turn to St. Rita for her intercession and guidance in their own difficult marriages. She is seen as a powerful advocate for the sanctity of marriage and a testament to the transformative power of faith, forgiveness, and persistence.
St. Edward the Confessor was born in England in 1003 and became King of England in 1042. He was known for his piety and devotion to the Church and is believed to have maintained a chaste marriage with his wife, Edith of Wessex. He also had a reputation for healing couples who were experiencing marital difficulties. It is said that he reconciled many couples who were on the brink of divorce.
St. Louis was born in 1214 and became King of France in 1226 at the age of 12. He was known for his deep faith and devotion to the Church. He was also a devoted husband to his wife, Marguerite of Provence, whom he married in 1234. They had 11 children together, and their marriage was marked by mutual respect, love, and fidelity.
Louis promoted the sanctity of marriage and family life. He believed that the family was the foundation of society and worked to promote laws that protected marriage, family, and the rights of children up until his death in one of the Crusades.
His example serves as an inspiration to couples seeking to build a strong and faithful marriage and would offer intercession for those seeking to promote the values of Christian marriage and family life in this very secular world.
St. Thomas More was a lawyer, scholar, and statemen who lived and studied law in England during the 16th century. More married his wife, Jane Colt, in 1505, and they had four children together and was known to have a very happy and loving marriage. He was dedicated to raising his children in the Catholic faith.
More is also known for his defense of the sanctity of marriage and his opposition to King Henry VIII's attempts to divorce his wife, Catherine of Aragon, in order to marry Anne Boleyn. He resigned from his position as Lord Chancellor in protest of Henry's actions and was later arrested, charged with treason and ultimaely executed.
His life serves as an inspiration to those seeking to build a solid and faithful marriage but also an intercessory for those whose spouse may be asking for a divorce.
Click here for our list of Patron Saints.
Prayers for Marriage
Prayer for Married Couples
O God, who in creating the human race willed that man and wife should be one, keep, we pray, in a bond of inseparable love those who are united in the covenant of Marriage, so that, as you make their love fruitful, they may become, by your grace, witnesses to charity itself. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Prayer in Defense of Marriage
God our Father, we give you thanks for the gift of marriage: the bond of life and love, and the font of the family.
The love of husband and wife enriches your Church with children, fills the world with a multitude of spiritual fruitfulness and service, and is the sign of the love of your Son, Jesus Christ, for his Church.
The grace of Jesus flowed forth at Cana at the request of the Blessed Mother. May your Son, through the intercession of Mary, pour out upon us a new measure of the Gifts of the Holy Spirit as we join with all people of good will to promote and protect the unique beauty of marriage.
May your Holy Spirit enlighten our society to treasure the heroic love of husband and wife, and guide our leaders to sustain and protect the singular place of mothers and fathers
in the lives of their children.
Father, we ask that our prayers be joined to those of the Virgin Mary, that your Word may transform our service so as to safeguard the incomparable splendor of marriage.
We ask all these things through Christ our Lord, Amen.
Prayer for a Troubled Marriage
Lord Jesus Christ, You permit suffering to be a part of every human life, but You will that our afflictions be fruitful and redemptive. Help us to receive the trials and sufferings of our married life in a truly Christian spirit: as a way of making up for our sins and of bringing down many graces upon ourselves and others. May we, as husband and wife, be present to each other during times of suffering; may we never willingly cause each other to suffer. But grant that we might be strong with the strength of Your love, persevering and growing in our love until death. Amen.
Related Patron Saint Jewelry and Rosaries
Buy some beautiful St. Joseph, St. Monica, St. Valentine, St. Rita, St. Edward the Confessor, St. Louse and St. Thomas More jewelry to keep you or your loved one close to the patron saint of marriage and be a symbol of your faith.
