Patron Saint of Farmers and Gardeners
Who is the patron saint of farmers?
Orthodox farmers pray to St Tryphon, patron of vinedressers and farmers, and to St George, patron of farmers and tillers of the land. In drought they pray to St Spyridon for rain.
Orthodox farmers and gardeners pray to St Tryphon, the young martyr of Phrygia who turned back a plague of locusts from his village by his prayer; Greeks and Bulgarians honor him as the patron of vinedressers and farmers. St Spyridon of Trimythous, a shepherd before he was a bishop, brought rain to drought-stricken fields, and he is asked for rain in drought and fair weather in floods. St George is the patron of farmers and tillers of the land, and in Russia St Paraskeva Pyatnitsa keeps the fields, the harvest and the cattle. So much of the year’s work is out of the farmer’s hands, and the Church prays with them from sowing to harvest.
The saints the Church turns to
St Tryphon the Martyr
Patron of vinedressers, farmers and gardeners, asked for the protection of fields, gardens and vineyards and the deliverance of crops from insects and pests.
1 February (14 February on the Old Calendar).
St Spyridon of Trimythous
Patron of farmers in drought or flood, asked for rain in drought and fair weather in floods.
12 December (25 December on the Old Calendar).
St George the Great Martyr
Patron of farmers and tillers of the land, asked for help in farm work and protection for the herds at the start of the season.
23 April (6 May on the Old Calendar).
St Paraskeva Pyatnitsa
Patron of fields, harvest and cattle in Russian usage, asked for the protection of fields, crops and livestock.
28 October (10 November on the Old Calendar).
St Gertrude of Nivelles
A saint of the undivided Church, honored in Western usage as a patron of gardeners and asked for a fruitful garden.
17 March (30 March on the Old Calendar).
In our shop
St George medallionstainless steel, 60 cm chain.$70$49
St Gertrude of Nivelles & Guardian Angel$99$69
- St Tryphon, St Spyridon and St Paraskeva icons (coming soon)
How Orthodox Christians pray for this
On St Tryphon’s day Greek and Bulgarian vinedressers sprinkle their vines with holy water, and farm families ask the priest to sprinkle the fields. In drought the faithful pray to St Spyridon for rain. In Russia the herds first went out to pasture on St George’s spring feast, and an icon in the farmhouse corner watches over the year’s work.
Ask our priest
Our priest can serve a moleben to St Tryphon the Martyr for farmers, fields and gardens, with the names you give.
Have it consecrated by our priest before it reaches you — Consecration, $49.
Questions
Who is the patron saint of gardeners?
St Tryphon, who is asked for the protection of fields, gardens and vineyards. In the West, St Gertrude of Nivelles is honored as a patron of gardeners.
Which saint do you pray to for rain?
St Spyridon of Trimythous, who brought rain to drought-stricken fields. He is asked for rain in drought and fair weather in floods.
Which saint protects crops from pests?
St Tryphon, who by his prayer turned back a plague of locusts devouring the grain of his village.
