Stoles with saints are Catholic priest stoles decorated with the embroidered or printed image of a canonized saint or a sacred title of Christ. A priest wears them on the saint's feast day, at a parish patronal feast, for a name day and for devotions to a particular patron. Our collection includes 58 stoles with saints — St. Joseph, St. Francis of Assisi, St. Anthony of Padua, St. Padre Pio, St. John Paul II, St. Michael the Archangel, St. Faustina and many more — in green, purple, red, white, ecru and gold, from $100.
What Are Stoles with Saints?
A stole is the liturgical vestment that marks Holy Orders: a band of fabric worn around the neck, over the alb, by deacons, priests and bishops. The priest wears it for Mass and for the sacraments; the deacon wears it diagonally across the body. A stole with a saint adds a specific image — the face or attribute of a canonized saint, or a title such as the Sacred Heart, the Good Shepherd or the Lamb of God.
The image is not a decoration. It identifies the patron whose feast is being celebrated, the parish to which the priest is assigned, or the devotion of the priest who wears it. That is why a stole with a saint is chosen for a patronal feast, a parish anniversary, an ordination, a priesthood jubilee or a name day.
What does "stoles with saints" mean?
The phrase refers to priest stoles whose embroidery or print shows a saint. "Stoles with saints" is not a separate liturgical garment — it is a stole like any other, with a saint's image added to the design. The stole remains the sign of ordination; the image identifies the patron.
Is a stole with a saint different from a Marian stole?
A Marian stole shows Our Lady — for example Our Lady of Częstochowa, the Immaculate Conception or the Virgin of Guadalupe. A stole with a saint shows another canonized saint, such as St. Joseph, St. Francis or St. Anthony. We keep the Marian designs in a separate collection of Marian stoles so that each group can be browsed by devotion.
Who Wears a Stole with a Saint?
Only ordained clergy wear a stole: deacons, priests and bishops. A priest wears a stole with a saint in the same way as any other stole — around the neck, under or over the chasuble depending on the cut, and always over the alb. A bishop may wear one at a patronal feast in his diocese. A deacon wears the deacon stole diagonally from the left shoulder to the right hip.
Do deacons wear stoles with saints?
Yes. A deacon may wear a stole with a saint, but the deacon stole is worn diagonally and is usually narrower than a priest's stole. Our deacon stoles are listed separately from the priest stoles in this collection.
How is a priest's stole worn?
A priest wears the stole around the neck so that both ends hang in front. In the Roman cut the two ends cross on the chest; in the Gothic cut they fall straight. A cord or a pin may be used to keep the ends in place. The stole is worn over the alb and under the chasuble, and it is kissed when the priest vests and unvests.
What is the difference between a Roman and a Gothic stole?
The Roman stole is narrower and is crossed on the chest. The Gothic stole is wider and hangs straight, following the older shape of the vestment. Both are valid; the choice is a matter of style and of the chasuble with which the stole is worn. Our Roman stole listings show the narrower, crossed style.
Patron Saints and Feast Days
A stole with a saint is usually chosen for one of four occasions: the feast of the saint, the patronal feast of a parish, the priest's name day, or a personal devotion. In a parish dedicated to St. Joseph, for example, the patronal feast is the occasion for a stole with St. Joseph; in a parish dedicated to St. Stanislaus, for a stole with St. Stanislaus. The same logic applies to pilgrimage shrines and to religious communities.
Which saints are available on your stoles?
Our current collection includes St. Joseph, St. Francis of Assisi, St. Anthony of Padua, St. Padre Pio, St. John Paul II, St. Faustina, St. Michael the Archangel, St. Peter, St. Paul, St. James, St. Mark, St. Thomas the Apostle, St. Jude Thaddeus, St. Christopher, St. Barbara, St. Catherine of Alexandria, St. Clara, St. Florian, St. George, St. Hedwig, St. Stanislaus, St. Adalbert, St. Andrew Bobola, St. John Bosco, St. Rita, St. Hubert, St. Mary Magdalene and Cardinal Stefan Wyszyński, together with titles of Christ such as the Sacred Heart, the Merciful Jesus, the Good Shepherd, the Lamb of God and the Holy Spirit. Each product page states the exact motif, color and technique.
When should a priest wear a patron saint stole?
A priest may wear a patron saint stole on the saint's liturgical memorial, at the parish patronal feast, during a pilgrimage or a patronal procession, and on the anniversary of the church's dedication. The choice is devotional rather than strictly prescribed: the liturgical color of the day still governs the vestments.
Can a stole show a saint who is not the parish patron?
Yes. A stole may show the priest's personal patron, the patron of a religious community, or a saint to whom the priest has a particular devotion. It may also be a gift for a priest whose patron saint is known to the donor.
Liturgical Colors and Seasons
The color of the stole follows the liturgical color of the day, not the image of the saint. White and gold are used for solemnities, for feasts of saints who are not martyrs, and for the Christmas and Easter seasons. Red is used for Pentecost, for the Passion, for the feasts of martyrs and for the Holy Spirit. Green is worn in Ordinary Time, violet in Advent and Lent, rose on Gaudete and Laetare Sunday, and black may be used for funerals where the local custom permits it.
What color stole is worn at a patronal feast?
Usually white or gold, because a patronal feast is normally celebrated as a solemnity or a feast. If the patron is a martyr, red is worn. The stole should match the chasuble and the other vestments of the celebration.
Which color is worn on a saint's feast day?
White for saints who are not martyrs, red for martyrs. The image on the stole does not change the color of the day; a stole with St. Joseph is normally worn in white, while a stole with St. Stanislaus, a martyr, is normally worn in red.
Materials, Embroidery, and Printed Images
The stoles in this collection are made from smooth liturgical fabrics, with polyester and cotton blends in several listings, brocade in selected designs, and a 20% wool / 80% PE composition in some models. Many designs use rich embroidery with metallic threads; selected designs use a printed image, for example the St. Mark the Evangelist stole. Some models are finished with tassels. Each product page states the fabric and the technique for that specific stole.
Are the saint images hand-embroidered?
Most of our stoles with saints are embroidered, and some designs use a printed image. The technique is stated on each product page, together with the fabric and the size, so that the choice is explicit rather than assumed.
How do I clean an embroidered stole?
For embroidered stoles and for designs with metallic threads we recommend dry cleaning. Do not soak the stole, do not wring it and do not iron directly on the embroidery. Store it hung on a wide hanger or rolled, away from moisture and direct sunlight.
Sizes and Fit
The stoles in this collection are listed with a length between 116 cm and 156 cm and a width between 15.5 cm and 18 cm. Some listings give the "arm's length" — the length of one side measured from the neck — while others give the total length. A double-sided stole may list the length of one side only. Always check the measurements on the product page before ordering.
What size is a priest's stole?
Most priest stoles are between 130 cm and 150 cm long and about 16 cm wide. The right size depends on the priest's height and on the cut of the chasuble; a stole that is too long will hang below the chasuble, and one that is too short will sit too high on the chest.
What is the difference between length and arm length?
Total length is measured from one end of the stole to the other. Arm's length is measured from the neck to the end of one side. For a crossed Roman stole, the arm's length is the more useful measurement, because the ends cross on the chest.
Choosing a Stole with a Saint
Five criteria decide the choice: the occasion, the saint, the liturgical color, the technique and the budget. For a patronal feast, start with the patron and the color of the day. For a gift, start with the priest's patron saint and with a color that can be worn often. For a parish, start with the number of stoles needed and with the chasuble set they will accompany.
What is a good gift for a priest's ordination or jubilee?
A stole with the priest's patron saint, or with the patron of his parish, is a traditional gift for an ordination, a first Mass, a priesthood jubilee or a name day. Choose a color that matches the vestments he uses most often, and check the measurements before ordering. Our stoles with saints start at $100, and most designs are between $127 and $204.
Should I choose the saint or the liturgical color first?
For a personal gift, choose the saint first and the color second. For a stole that will be worn on a specific feast, choose the color of the day first and then the saint whose image is appropriate. When both are fixed, the remaining choice is the technique — embroidery or print — and the size.
Custom Orders for Parishes
Parishes sometimes need a stole with a patron saint who is not in the current collection, or a set of stoles in a specific color for a patronal feast. We accept custom enquiries and confirm the design, the color, the quantity and the lead time individually. Custom work is quoted after the design is agreed.
Can I order a stole with our parish patron saint?
Yes. Contact us with the name of the patron, the liturgical color, the number of stoles and the date by which they are needed. We will confirm whether the design can be produced and quote the price and the lead time.
Prices
Prices for stoles with saints start at $100. Most designs are between $127 and $204. The price depends on the density of the embroidery, the use of metallic threads, the fabric — brocade costs more than a smooth blend — the number of sides, and the finish, such as tassels or a double-sided construction.
How much does a stole with a saint cost?
A stole with a saint starts at $100; most designs are between $127 and $204. The least expensive designs are simple embroidered stoles in a single color; the most expensive are the richly embroidered and double-sided models.
Care and Storage
Hang the stole on a wide hanger so that the embroidery does not crease, or roll it loosely for travel. Keep it away from moisture, from direct sunlight and from heat. Rotate the stoles that are used most often so that the fabric and the embroidery wear evenly. Before storage, check for candle wax or incense residue and remove it with the advice of a professional cleaner.
Related Guides
Browse the full collection of liturgical stoles, the Marian stoles, the deacon stoles, the Roman stoles, the wedding stoles, the Christmas stoles and the Easter stoles. For the meaning of each color, read stole colors by liturgical season; for the difference between the two ordained ministries, see deacon stole vs priest stole; for the vestment as a whole, see parts of a chasuble.
Shipping and Returns
Shipping is free on orders over $100. Returns are accepted within 21 days. Orders are shipped from Poland; see the shipping information and the returns policy for details.
Do you ship internationally?
Yes. We ship worldwide from Poland. Delivery times and customs duties depend on the destination; the shipping page lists the available services and the estimated delivery times.
Related: the matching chasuble with saints — 142 models from $192.
