Years later, when the Frankish king Childeric besieged the city and the people were starving, Genevieve led a convoy of boats up the Seine and brought back grain. She was respected by kings, cared for the poor, and lived into her late eighties. Paris has honoured her as its patron ever since. The Panthéon in Paris was originally built as a church dedicated to her.
Historical Context
A Prayer to St Genevieve
St Genevieve, when your city was afraid, you called it to prayer.
When it was hungry, you brought bread.
Pray for our cities and towns:
protect them from violence, disaster and fear.
Give me your courage to trust God when others panic,
and your heart for the hungry.
Amen.
For a City in Crisis
Lord, through the prayers of St Genevieve,
protect this city in its time of danger.
Amen.
For Courage Against the Crowd
Lord, when everyone is running, help me stand and pray.
Amen.
Best Times for This Prayer
- On 3 January, her feast.
- When your city or region faces disaster or unrest.
- For Paris and for France.
Scripture Connection
“Except the LORD keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain.” — Psalm 127:1
Genevieve knew Paris’s walls and soldiers weren’t enough. She called the city to trust the one who keeps it.
Related prayers
For courage, see the Prayer of Fortitude. For a woman saint who stood up to the powerful, the Prayer to Saint Catherine of Siena. For the hungry, the November 17 Prayer.