A patron saint is a saint who has been asked to be the special protector for a person, a family, a parish, a business, a city, region, or country. Usually that person or entity will carry the saint's name, honor his or her icon, and celebrate the saint's feast day with special festivity. The saint intercedes for his or her charges before the throne of God, obtaining for them protection from evil and God's blessing.

While any Christian may pray to God directly and expect his or her prayers to be heard, Orthodox Tradition teaches that the prayers of those who have lived holy lives are especially powerful. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much (James 5:16). As those holy ones who have passed on are now living in the presence of God, their prayers are even more effective than when they were on earth. Thus it is only prudent for us to seek their help.

Those who live in California and the Southwest are especially familiar with Spanish place names, many of which begin with "San" or "Santa." These are the masculine and feminine forms, respectively, of the Spanish word for "Saint." Therefore, all these place names represent dedications to the patronage of various saints. Most of these saints chosen by the Spanish missionaries are also venerated by the Orthodox Church, including the third-century Archdeacon-Martyr St. Lawrence, patron of the San Lorenzo Valley where St. Lawrence Orthodox Christian Church is located. This is a major reason he was chosen as the parish's patron.