Saint Luke —
Patron Saint of Physicians & Surgeons,
Artists, Glass Workers, Painters

"St. Luke, the writer of the Gospel and the Acts of the Apostles, has been identified with St. Paul's Luke, the beloved physician (Colossians 4:14). We know few other facts about St. Luke's life from Scripture and from early Church historians. It is believed that St. Luke was born a Greek and a Gentile. Scholars have argued that St. Luke might have been born a slave.

Luke first joined Paul's company at Troas at about the year 51 and accompanied him into Macedonia. St. Luke is the loyal comrade who stays with Paul when he is imprisoned in Rome (II Timothy 4:11). His is the gospel of the poor and of social justice.

Reading Luke's gospel gives a good idea of his character as one who loved the poor, who wanted the door to God's kingdom opened to all, who respected women, and who saw hope in God's mercy for everyone. Forgiveness and God's mercy to sinners is also of first importance to Luke. Throughout Luke's gospel, Jesus takes the side of the sinner who wants to return to God's mercy.

The reports of Luke's life after Paul's death are conflicting. Some early writers claim he was martyred, others say he lived a long life. Some say he preached in Greece, others in Gaul. The earliest tradition we have says that he died at 84 after settling in Greece to write his Gospel."

Prayer to St. Luke
"Most charming and saintly Physician, you were animated by the heavenly Spirit of love. In faithfully detailing the humanity of Jesus, you also showed his divinity and his genuine compassion for all human beings. Inspire our physicians with your professionalism and with the divine compassion for their patients. Enable them to cure the ills of both body and spirit that afflict so many in our day. Amen."

A Physician's Prayer
"Lord, Thou Great Physician, I kneel before Thee. Since every good and perfect gift must come from Thee, I Pray: Give skill to my hand, clear vision to my mind, kindness and sympathy to my heart. Give me singleness of purpose, strength to lift at least a part of the burden of my suffering fellow men, and a true realization of the rare privilege that is mine. Take from my heart all guile and worldliness, that with the simple faith of a child I may rely on Thee. Amen."