First and foremost, prayer is the most important way to ask a saint for help and protection. You can pray directly to a specific saint, if you know one that you admire or feel a connection to. Prayers can be formal, such as the traditional Catholic prayers written centuries ago, or they can be more personal and spontaneous. Additionally, it is common practice to make a physical offering that symbolizes your request when asking saints for protection or help in achieving something—candles, flowers, medals and special objects are all appropriate offerings.