Holy thaumaturgists, meaning and examples
Thaumaturgy is, in the religious sphere, the act of performing miracles and more specifically, miracles of healing. Many saints are therefore considered thaumaturgists, having obtained miraculous healings for many people, either during their lifetime or after their death.
What is thaumaturgy?
According to the dictionary, thaumaturgy is the power to perform miracles.
A thaumaturgist, from the Greek thauma meaning prodigy and ergon meaning work, is a person capable of performing miracles.
What is a thaumaturge saint?
A saint is called a thaumaturgist when they miraculously heal someone. The best-known thaumaturgist is, of course, Jesus Christ. In the Bible, we also find the prophets Elijah and Elisha, as well as saint Peter and saint Paul, the Savior's apostles.
It is important to remember that holy miracle-workers do not have "magical powers". They heal the sick through a gift from God, fulfilling God's will. This is why they are often referred to as "intercessors". A sick person is healed by the intercession of a saint, thanks to God, and not by the saint himself.
Some saints are considered miracle workers, but they don't necessarily cure those who pray to them. Rather, they are invoked against natural disasters, for example.
The Catholic Church has officially recognized many saints as miracle workers.
List of great miracle-working saints
The following is a non-exhaustive list of thaumaturge saints:
- Saint Acace of Antioch, invoked to cure headaches
- Saint Aldegonde, invoked to cure headaches, fevers and breast cancer
- Saint Alphonse-Marie de Liguori, invoked to make decisions
- Blessed André Abellon, invoked against headaches and epilepsy
- Saint André Bessette, invoked for healing the sick
- Saint Angadrême, invoked during droughts and fires
- Saint Anthony of Padua, invoked to find lost objects
- Saint Antoine du Rocher, invoked to heal skin diseases
- Sainte Apolline, invoked against toothache
- Saint Armel, invoked for walking difficulties, particularly in Beaumont-la-Ronce and Crotelles in Touraine.
- Saint Aubain de Mayence, long invoked to cure headaches, epilepsy and poisoning
- Saint Avertin, invoked against migraines and dizziness
- Saint Basil the Blessed, invoked for courage
- Sainte Barbe, invoked against lightning and sudden death
- Saint Blaise of Sebaste, invoked against forge infections
- Saint Brice, invoked against stomach ache
- Saint Camillus de Lellis, invoked for the care of the sick
- Saint Catherine of Alexandria, invoked especially by students, Christian philosophers, orators and lawyers
- Saint Cecilia of Rome, invoked against eye diseases
- Saint Charbel Makhlouf, invoked to ask for physical or spiritual healing
- Saint Charles de Foucauld, invoked to face up to doubts
- Saint Christopher, invoked to travel in safety
- Saint Columba, invoked to combat fevers
- Saint Cosmas and Saint Damian, invoked to care for the sick
- Saint Cyriacus and his companions, invoked against headaches and demonic possessions
- Saint Emérentienne, invoked against stomach aches
- Saint Epain, invoked in the hope of obtaining rain during a long period of drought
- Saint Expédit, invoked for urgent causes
- Saint Francis of Paola, invoked to protect ships and sailors from the dangers of the sea
- Saint Fridianus, invoked against the dangers of flooding
- Saint Genou and Saint Genitus, invoked against rheumatism
- Saint George, invoked to heal scabs and to obtain his protection.
- Saint Giles, invoked to solve desperate cases, to cure stomach aches and children's fears.
- Saint Gomer, invoked to reconcile couples in difficulty
- Saint Gregory the Thaumaturgist, invoked against earthquakes and floods
- Saint Vitus, invoked in Corsica to heal all wounds caused by animals (dog or snake bites, for example) and also against epilepsy
- Saint Hildevert, formerly invoked against madness
- Saint Ignatius of Loyola, invoked to make a decision
- Saint James the Great, invoked for safe travel
- Saint John the Russian, invoked especially on the island of Euboea in Greece to ask for healing
- Saint John Vianney (Holy Parish Priest of Ars), invoked to ask for God's forgiveness
- Sainte Josephine Bakhita, invoked to stand firm in times of trial
- Saint Jude, invoked to resolve hopeless cases
- Saint Julian the Hospitaller, invoked to travel in safety
- Saint Lawrence of Rome, invoked to find lost objects
- Saint Louans, invoked to relieve stomach aches, especially in Touraine
- Saint Mammes, invoked for breast-feeding
- Saint Margaret of Antioch, invoked for kidney ailments and childbirth
- Saint Maron, invoked for incurable diseases, tumors and the after-effects of accidents
- Saint Martin de Porres, invoked for all those in deep pain
- Saint Martin of Tours, invoked against rheumatism
- Saint Maturinus, invoked on pilgrimage to heal illness or injury
- Saint Maurice, invoked to stand firm in times of trial
- Saint Maxellende, invoked to heal eye disease
- Saint Maximilien Kolbe, invoked to stand firm in times of trial
- Saint Medardus, invoked for good weather and rain.
- Saint Monegundis, invoked to cure fevers
- Notre-Dame de Bonne Délivrance, invoked by prisoners, expectant mothers and those subject to temptation
- Saint Odile of Alsace, invoked for sight problems
- Saint Opportuna of Montreuil, the "thaumaturgist of Normandy", invoked by women hoping for children.
- Sainte Oranne d'Eschweiler, invoked to relieve earaches and dizziness
- Saint Audoin, invoked in the town of the same name to cure deafness
- Saint Austregisilus, invoked to protect harvests
- Saint Padre Pio, invoked for healings, inner peace and reconciliation with God
- Saint Peregrine Laziosi, invoked against cancer, AIDS and long illnesses
- Saint Philomena the "thaumaturgist of the 19th century", invoked for children
- Saint Radegund, invoked against gout
- Sainte Reineldis and her companions, invoked for illnesses or ailments that do not heal and for eye diseases
- Saint Rita, invoked to resolve desperate situations
- Saint Roch, invoked for walking difficulties
- Saint Romuald, invoked for the healing of psychiatric disorders and mental illnesses
- Saint Stamp, invoked for gout
- Saint Teresa of Calcutta, invoked to cope with doubts and poverty.
- Saint Theobald of Provins, invoked for the poor and lonely
French kings as miracle workers
In France, all kings were considered to be thaumaturges, capable of curing scrofula (a tubercular disease) simply by touch, by uttering the phrase "The King touches you, God heals you". In 1722, when Louis XV was crowned King in Reims, he modified the phrase slightly. The formula became "The King touches you, may God heal you". The use of this grammatical form diminishes the king's power. It reminds us that only the Lord God heals, and that the king is only a potential intermediary.
Similar beliefs were found in England, Spain, Hungary and the Pacific. The most famous thaumaturge king is certainly saint Louis.
Pray with the thaumaturgist saints with Hozana!
Pray to these holy miracle-workers to or intercede for you with Christ!
- , one of the greatest evangelists of the 13th century, invoked to find lost objects.
- to Saint Ignatius of Loyola, invoked for decision-making.
- , invoked for courage in times of trial, and receive a short text each day to help you enter into her spirituality!
