{"title":"Patron Saints for Athletes \u0026 Sports","description":"\u003cp\u003ePatron saint medals for athletes, competitors, and everyone who trains, plays, and pushes through. Each medal features original artwork on 18k gold finish or stainless steel, sealed under shatterproof liquid glass, with optional custom engraving on the back. Individually made to order in the USA.\u003c\/p\u003e","products":[{"product_id":"saint-sebastian-medal-necklace","title":"Saint Sebastian Medal Necklace - Patron Saint of Athletes \u0026 Soldiers","description":"\u003ch2\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSaint Sebastian, Patron Saint of Athletes and Soldiers\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSebastian was born around 255 AD in Gaul and rose to captain of the Praetorian Guard under the Roman emperors Diocletian and Maximian, all while secretly using his position to protect and support persecuted Christians. When his faith was discovered, he was sentenced to death by arrows, tied to a post and shot until his body was, in one contemporary account, \"full of arrows as an urchin.\" The archers left him for dead. A Christian widow named Irene found him still breathing and nursed him back to health. Rather than flee, Sebastian sought out Diocletian directly and publicly condemned him for persecuting Christians, a second act of defiance that led to his execution by clubbing. His endurance through the first attempt on his life, an ordeal most people wouldn't survive once, made him a natural patron for anyone whose sport or calling demands pushing through pain: basketball and baseball players, wrestlers, swimmers, runners, volleyball players, and athletes in nearly every sport played today, along with soldiers who share his background as a career military officer.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eA Gift For...\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAn athlete in any sport, basketball, baseball, volleyball, wrestling, swimming, track, lacrosse, or football\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSomeone starting a new season, tryout, or training block\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eA soldier, active duty or veteran\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eA confirmation candidate who competes or trains seriously\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eA Saint Sebastian's Day gift on January 20, for any athlete or soldier in your life\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eA Confirmation Gift for Sebastian\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFor a confirmation candidate whose identity is built around competing and training, few saints connect as directly. Engrave a name and confirmation date, and let his endurance carry the meaning.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThe Saint Sebastian Medal\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis medal depicts him bound and pierced with arrows, composed rather than agonized, his halo radiating outward. The natural gold or silver of the metal forms the illustration itself. Black ink is applied to the pendant surface and the metal shows through as the image. A shatterproof liquid glass coating seals the surface. The result has a depth and precision that printed medals don't achieve.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePersonalization and Engraving\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe optional engraving on the reverse is rendered in Tangerine cursive, two lines, up to 20 characters each. Many choose a name and a season or tryout date, a jersey number, or a team name.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSaint Sebastian's feast day is January 20, and nearly 1,700 years after his death, athletes and sports teams still hold special prayers and Masses in his name before the start of a season, asking for the same endurance that carried him through his own.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eRelated Devotions for Athletes and Competitors\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cul dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eFor Soccer Players:\u003c\/strong\u003e Explore the \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/sanctummedals.com\/products\/saint-luigi-scrosoppi-medal-necklace\"\u003eSaint Luigi Scrosoppi Medal\u003c\/a\u003e, officially named patron of soccer players in 2010.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eFor Fishing and Outdoor Sport:\u003c\/strong\u003e Pair with the Saint Andrew Medal, patron of fishermen and anglers.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eFor Hunters:\u003c\/strong\u003e Discover the Saint Hubert Medal, patron of hunters and hunting.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eFor Female Athletes:\u003c\/strong\u003e Discover the \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/sanctummedals.com\/products\/blessed-chiara-badano-medal-necklace\"\u003eBlessed Chiara Badano medal\u003c\/a\u003e, a modern athlete herself and an emerging patroness for young women in sports.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSee the Full Collection:\u003c\/strong\u003e Browse \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/sanctummedals.com\/collections\/patron-saints-for-athletes-sports\"\u003ePatron Saints for Athletes \u0026amp; Sports\u003c\/a\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/sanctummedals.com\/collections\/saints-for-athletes\"\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e for more saints connected to sport and competition.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e","brand":"Sanctum Medals","offers":[{"title":"Stainless Steel \/ No","offer_id":53317259493712,"sku":null,"price":55.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Stainless Steel \/ Yes","offer_id":53317259526480,"sku":null,"price":70.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"18k Gold Finish \/ No","offer_id":53317259559248,"sku":null,"price":70.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"18k Gold Finish \/ Yes","offer_id":53317259592016,"sku":null,"price":85.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0939\/7852\/6032\/files\/Saint-Sebastian-Medal-Gold-frontview.jpg?v=1785159093"},{"product_id":"saint-luigi-scrosoppi-medal-necklace","title":"Saint Luigi Scrosoppi Medal Necklace – Patron Saint of Soccer Players \u0026 Orphans","description":"\u003ch2\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSaint Luigi Scrosoppi, Patron Saint of Soccer Players and Orphans\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLuigi Scrosoppi was born in Udine, Italy, in 1804 and ordained a priest in 1827. He spent the rest of his life caring for the city's poorest and most vulnerable children, founding the Sisters of Providence of Saint Cajetan to run homes, schools, and workshops for orphaned and abandoned girls. Over the course of his ministry, he's credited with caring for more than six thousand children, work that earned him the title \"the Saint of Orphans\" long before he ever earned a title tied to sport. He died in Udine in 1884 and was canonized by Pope John Paul II in 2001, after a Zambian catechist's recovery from AIDS was attributed to his intercession. Then, in 2010, more than a century after his death, an Austrian bishop and a group of football fans searching for a patron saint specifically for soccer players landed on Scrosoppi, drawn to his lifelong emphasis on fairness, discipline, and care for the young. He remains one of the Church's newest and most unusual pairings, a nineteenth-century priest now invoked from the sidelines of a sport he never played.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eA Gift For...\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eA soccer player, coach, or fan, at any level of the game\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSomeone starting a new season, tryout, or team\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAnyone who has worked with orphaned, fostered, or vulnerable children\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSomeone living with HIV or AIDS, a patronage tied directly to his canonization miracle\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eA confirmation candidate who wants a modern saint connected to sport\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eA Saint Luigi Scrosoppi's Day gift on April 3, for any soccer player or coach in your life\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eA Confirmation Gift for Luigi\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFor a confirmation candidate who spends more time on the field than in a pew, this is about as direct a match as the calendar offers. Engrave a name and confirmation date, and let his story bridge the two worlds.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThe Saint Luigi Scrosoppi Medal\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis medal depicts him in his priest's cassock, older and weathered, holding a soccer ball in both hands, his halo radiating outward. The natural gold or silver of the metal forms the illustration itself. Black ink is applied to the pendant surface and the metal shows through as the image. A shatterproof liquid glass coating seals the surface. The result has a depth and precision that printed medals don't achieve.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePersonalization and Engraving\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe optional engraving on the reverse is rendered in Tangerine cursive, two lines, up to 20 characters each. Many choose a name and a season or tournament date, while others engrave a simple word like \"fair play.\"\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSaint Luigi Scrosoppi's feast day is April 3\u003c\/strong\u003e, and he was formally named patron saint of soccer players on August 22, 2010, by Bishop Alois Schwarz of Gurk, Austria, a modern title for a nineteenth-century priest, and one of the few saints in the Church whose patronage was assigned within living memory rather than centuries of tradition.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Sanctum Medals","offers":[{"title":"Stainless Steel \/ No","offer_id":53569404698960,"sku":null,"price":55.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Stainless Steel \/ Yes","offer_id":53569404731728,"sku":null,"price":70.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"18k Gold Finish \/ No","offer_id":53569404764496,"sku":null,"price":70.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"18k Gold Finish \/ Yes","offer_id":53569404797264,"sku":null,"price":85.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0939\/7852\/6032\/files\/saint-Luigi-Scrosoppi-Medal-Gold-frontview.jpg?v=1788960717"},{"product_id":"blessed-chiara-badano-medal-necklace","title":"Blessed Chiara Badano Medal Necklace – Female Patron Saint for Young Athletes","description":"\u003ch2\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eBlessed Chiara Badano, Female Patron Saint for Young Athletes\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eChiara Badano was born in 1971 in a small town in northern Italy, the long-awaited only child of parents who had prayed for a baby for eleven years. At nine, she joined the Focolare Movement, a Catholic lay community built around unity and everyday holiness, and its founder gave her the nickname \"Luce,\" meaning light, for the joy she carried into every room. Chiara was also a genuinely active teenager and athlete, known among her friends for her energy as much as her faith. At sixteen, a persistent pain during physical activity turned out to be osteogenic sarcoma, a painful bone cancer that would end both her athletic life and, eventually, her own. She faced her illness the way she'd approached competition, refusing to let it define her mood. \"Don't shed any tears for me,\" she told her mother near the end. \"I'm going to Jesus. At my funeral, I don't want people crying, but singing with all their hearts.\" She died in 1990 at eighteen and was beatified by Pope Benedict XVI in 2010, one of the first members of Generation X to be raised to the altar. While the Catholic Church has long turned to Saint Sebastian as patron of athletes generally, Chiara has increasingly been recognized specifically as a female patron saint for girls and young women across every sport, a real athlete whose own story speaks directly to theirs.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eA Gift For...\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eA female athlete in any sport, basketball, volleyball, soccer, track, or beyond\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eA girl or young woman starting a new sports season or team\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSomeone facing illness or a difficult diagnosis with real courage\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eA confirmation candidate looking for a modern female saint close to their own age\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eA Blessed Chiara Badano gift on her feast day, October 29, for any young female athlete in your life\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eA Confirmation Gift for Chiara\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFor a confirmation candidate who is young, athletic, and looking for a female saint close to their own age and experience, Chiara offers something rare, holiness that looks like an ordinary teenage life lived all the way through. Engrave a name and confirmation date, and let her joy carry the meaning.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThe Blessed Chiara Badano Medal\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis medal depicts her in modern dress, a tennis racket in hand and a small cross at her neck, smiling, her halo radiating outward. The natural gold or silver of the metal forms the illustration itself. Black ink is applied to the pendant surface and the metal shows through as the image. A shatterproof liquid glass coating seals the surface. The result has a depth and precision that printed medals don't achieve.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePersonalization and Engraving\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe optional engraving on the reverse is rendered in Tangerine cursive, two lines, up to 20 characters each. Many choose a name and confirmation date, while others engrave \"Luce\" or her own words, \"I want it too.\"\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eBlessed Chiara Badano's feast day is October 29\u003c\/strong\u003e, her birthday, and her cause for canonization remains active today, championed in part by young Catholics around the world who see in her a saint who looked, until the very end, like one of their own.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eRelated Devotions for Athletes and Competitors\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eFor General Athletic Protection:\u003c\/strong\u003e Pair with the \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/sanctummedals.com\/products\/saint-sebastian-medal-necklace\"\u003eSaint Sebastian Medal\u003c\/a\u003e, the Church's longstanding patron of athletes and soldiers.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eFor Soccer Players:\u003c\/strong\u003e Explore the \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/sanctummedals.com\/products\/saint-luigi-scrosoppi-medal-necklace\"\u003eSaint Luigi Scrosoppi Medal\u003c\/a\u003e, officially named patron of soccer players in 2010.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eFor Fishing and Outdoor Sport:\u003c\/strong\u003e Discover the Saint Andrew Medal, patron of fishermen and anglers.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSee the Full Collection:\u003c\/strong\u003e Browse \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/sanctummedals.com\/collections\/patron-saints-for-athletes-sports\"\u003ePatron Saints for Athletes \u0026amp; Sports\u003c\/a\u003e for more saints connected to sport and competition.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e","brand":"Sanctum Medals","offers":[{"title":"Stainless Steel \/ No","offer_id":53601859764560,"sku":null,"price":55.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Stainless Steel \/ Yes","offer_id":53601859797328,"sku":null,"price":70.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"18k Gold Finish \/ No","offer_id":53601859830096,"sku":null,"price":70.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"18k Gold Finish \/ Yes","offer_id":53601859862864,"sku":null,"price":85.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0939\/7852\/6032\/files\/Blessed-Chiara-Badano-Medal-Gold-frontview.jpg?v=1789225754"}],"url":"https:\/\/sanctummedals.com\/collections\/patron-saints-for-athletes-sports.oembed","provider":"Sanctum Medals","version":"1.0","type":"link"}