Emergency helpers

Those who are soldiers of the temple are of God.

Cena de Seder medieval con símbolos de Pésaj, flanqueada por dos Caballeros Templarios como guardianes

The 14 holy helpers

schilderij van 14 heiligen - de noodhelpers

They are worshipped as a help with all kinds of diseases and ailments. Both individually and as a group.

If one had seen a picture of an Emergency Helper, you would not die an unforeseen death that day. That is, death without the reception of the Holy Sacraments.

The 14 saints are:

  • Achatius, martyr, invoked against headaches
  • Barbara, virgin and martyr, invoked against fever
  • Blaise, bishop and martyr, invoked against a sore throat
  • Catherine, virgin and martyr, invoked against the plague
  • Christopher, martyr, invoked against the plague
  • Cyriacus, deacon and martyr, invoked against temptations on the deathbed
  • Dionysius, bishop and martyr, invoked against headaches
  • Egidius, hermit and abbot, invoked against plagues
  • Erasmus of Formiae, bishop and martyr, invoked against gastrointestinal complaints, also known as Saint Elmo
  • Eustachius, martyr, invoked against family differences
  • George, soldier martyr, invoked against diseases of pets
  • Margaret, virgin and martyr, invoked during pregnancy
  • Pantaleon, bishop and martyr, patron saint of physicians
  • Vitus, martyr, invoked against epilepsy

Images of the Saints were often taken on a journey on woodcuts. Nowadays this is done with magnets and/or key rings. In a church that was with a large statue or a large painting/mural.

The place is almost always close to the exit. In this way, it could not be missed to see the Saint.