Who is the Patron Saint of Paris?

Geneviève of Paris was a nun originally from Nanterre who lived in Paris circa 500 A.D. St. Geneviève is associated with many miraculous events. When Attila the Hun approached, she scolded the men who wanted to leave town: they remained in Paris, and Attila's barbarians turned away.

Geneviève also worked exorcisms using holy oil blessed by the bishop. When old, she ate only bread with milk, and only on Sundays and Thursdays. The milk was added at the insistence of the bishops. Genèvieve died January 3, 512 when she was about 89 years old. Even after her death, many miracles were credited to her.

Genèvieve came to be known as the "Patron Saint of Paris" and, throughout the years, many miracles that favored Paris were attributed to her intercession. Her name is invoked during natural disasters such as drought, flooding, and widespread fever. Perhaps the most famous account involves the great epidemic of ergot poisoning in the XII century in France. Ergot is a fungus that grows on rye and other plants and produces alkaloids that can cause limb claudication, gangrene and psychotic episodes in humans and other mammals.

In 1962, Pope John XXIII named her the "Patron Saint of French Security Forces", a gesture that honored her many efforts to secure Paris. A patron saint is regarded as the intercessor and advocate in heaven of a nation, place, craft, activity, class, or person. Her feast day is January 3.

Her memorial tomb is in the Pantheon, in Paris.