According to the Dictionary of the Royal Spanish Academy, santo it is: in the Christian world, a person declared a saint by the Church, which commands that he be worshiped universally; while patron is: defender, protector, protector, or saint chosen as protector of a people or religious or civil congregation.
In the specific case of medicine, there are several saints who fit within these definitions. But today, on the occasion of Holy Week, we present you the patron saints of medicine, surgery and dentistry according to this article of SCIELO.
These are the patron saints of medicine, surgery and dentistry
Saint Luke, patron saint of physicians in general
Lucas was a doctor born in Antioquia; he is considered patron saint of physicians in general. In addition to medical sciences, he devoted himself to the study of letters (he is the author of the books called: Gospel of Luke and Acts of the Apostles) and painting (a painting of the Virgin Mary is attributed to him).
He converted to Christianity around the age of 40 “because of the preaching of his relative Saint Paul, of whom he became a disciple and companion”. He preached the Gospel of Jesus Christ in: Italy (Rome), Gaul, Dalmatia, Macedonia, Libya and Greece. He died, hanged for testimony to his faith, in Achaia, at 84 years; his body was transferred to Constantinople initially and later to Pavia (his head is revered in Rome).
Saints Cosme and Damian, patron saints of surgeons
To the Doctors Cosme and Damián they are considered, particularly, patron saints of surgeons. Cosme and Damian were twins born in Cilicia (southern Anatolia, Asia Minor). and medical professionals, practicing on an itinerant basis without pay for your services.
During the pursuit of emperor diocletian (284-305) were apprehended and tortured (drowning, burning, dislocation, crucifixion, stoning, shooting). This, by order of Lysias, governor of Aegea, and finally beheaded (c. 303 AD, October 17).
His tomb, according to tradition, is in Cirrhus (Syria); were turned into saints for attributing to them miraculous cures; after his death, a devotee saw in a dream the transplantation of a lower limb from a black Moorish slave. Who had just died of old age, to the Caucasian deacon Justiniano, while he slept, after, to the latter, they made a below the knee amputation due to gangrene (what would now be a homotransplantation from a cadaveric donorh).
Saint Apollonia, patron saint of dentists
Saint Apollonia is considered patron saint of dentists; Apollonia was born in Alexandria in the year 200; she in 216 she received baptism and became a preacher, serving as such for 33 years in the Catechesis of Alexandria (called Didascalia)-
In 231 he joined the list along with Origen and Dionysus to lead the Didascalia (the choice fell on Dionysus and not on Apollonia because of her status as a woman, the same thing happened in the year 247).
In 249, under the reign of Decius (248-251), she was captured and subjected to torture on suspicion of attempting against Rome. During the process, his teeth were destroyed with a stone and, intending to burn her alive, jumped into the fire voluntarilyp. However, because the flames did not consume her, they ended up slitting her throat. The teeth were collected as heirlooms and his head is found, inside a bust, in the church of Santa Maria Trastevere in Rome; she was canonized in the year 299 by Pope Marcellinus, her feast day is February 9, considered the Day of the Dentist.
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