Today is the saint/feast day for Peter Chanel, a French missionary and the patron saint of Oceania. I know this for other reasons, but it got me to wondering if there's a patron saint for gamblers. Is there?
First, for anyone who doesn't know, a saint is a person who exemplifies holiness and touches the inner lives of others in ways that transform them for the better. In the Catholic religion, saints are formally canonized (officially recognized) by ecclesiastical declaration, but saints can also be glorified by popular acclaim.
And yes, there is a recognized Patron Saint of Gamblers: Saint Cayetano.
Gaetano dei Conti di Thiene was a 15th-16th-century Italian Catholic priest and religious reformer. He's known in in English as Saint Cajetan. His feast day is August 7.
Gaetano was born to well-to-do parents in Vicenza, Italy, in 1480 and was inspired to a life of piety by his mother. He studied law and worked as a diplomat for Pope Julius II, with whom he helped reconcile the Venetian Republic. He was ordained as a priest in 1516.
He was widely known and beloved for his efforts to alleviate poverty and financial desperation. He founded a charitable bank to protect the poor from usury and established the Monte di Pietà in Naples, a charitable organization that later became the Bank of Naples, providing loans to the poor to escape predatory lenders. He earned a reputation as a "holy gambler" while working in Vicenza, making "bets" with people for their spiritual benefit, proposing that if his advice worked, they would light a votive candle; if it did not, he would light one himself. He also complete reliance on God for financial needs, rather than focusing on earthly riches, offering hope to those dealing with gambling addictions or financial ruin. He's also the Patron Saint of Good Fortune and the Unemployed.
During his life, Saint Cayetano gave his family fortune to help those in need and he promoted the spiritual life, in conjunction with care for the poor and sick. According to Wikipedia, "He died of grief in Naples" in 1547, worn out by the corruption he saw around him, particularly within the priesthood. He was canonized in 1671.
In the course of this research, we also came across San Simon, Guatemala's own Patron Saint of Gamblers and Drunks. Part Catholic saint and part Mayan god, his worshippers apparently pray to him for fertility and prosperity and his shrine, located in the village of San Andres Itzapa, allegedly receives copious offerings of alcohol and tobacco (cash is also welcomed) from his devotees to appease him. A statue of him at the shrine is described as being covered in plastic, because people "sometimes spit alcohol and Coca-Cola on him as a way to ask for his blessings."
Lastly, Saint Bernadine (or Bernadino) of Siena is known as the Patron Saint of Gambling Addicts and Compulsive Gambling, among many other things. A charismatic orator born in Massa di Carrara, Italy in 380, Saint Bernadine was known for his mediating abilities and skill at reconciling opponents, and for his numerous female supporters.
