Obstetricians / Raymond Nonnatus, 1204–1240,
Feast Day: August 31

A Mercedarian monk from Spanish nobility, Raymond spent his fortune paying ransom for Christian captives in Algeria. When his funds ran out, he offered himself in place of the last one. To keep him from preaching, his captors put an iron padlock through his lips. He was ransomed back to Spain after eight months. His surname means “not born”; Raymond was delivered by cesarean section while his mother died. This made him particularly sympathetic to pregnant women.

Other patronages: Catalonia (Spain); midwives; childbirth, expectant mothers, falsely accused people, newborns

Invoked: against fever, perjury