The meaning of the word saints

From Simple English Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

A saint is a holy person.^[1] In many religions, saints are people who are believed to be holy.

In Christianity, the word «saint» refers to any person who is «in Christ», and in whom Christ dwells, whether in Heaven or in earth.^[1] Orthodox Christians and Catholics teach that all Christians in Heaven are saints, but some are worthy of more honor than others.^[2][3]

In the Christian Bible, not only one person is actually called a saint: «They envied Moses also in the camp, and Aaron the saint of the LORD.» (Psalms 106:16–18) The apostle Paul called himself «less than the least of all saints» in Ephesians 3:8.
Paul’s 2nd letter to the Corinthian Church speaks of …all the saints in Achaia
2 cor 1:1.
Also to the saints in Ephesus as well as to all the saints in Christ Jesus at Philippi

General characteristics[change | change source]

Many religions use the «saint» idea to honor people, like Hindu saints. If a person is considered a saint, no matter what religion they belong to, they are usually:^[4]

1. A very good person
2. A very good teacher
3. Able to work miracles
4. Able to pray on behalf of believers
5. Living without many material things or comforts
6. Knowledgeable about holy things

Christianity[change | change source]

Anglicanism[change | change source]

In the Anglican Communion and the Continuing Anglican movement, a Saint is a person who has been elevated by popular opinion as a holy person. The saints are seen as models of holiness to be followed, and as a ‘cloud of witnesses’ that strengthen and encourage the believer during his or her spiritual journey (Hebrews 12:1). Official Anglican policy recognizes the existence of the saints in heaven.

Eastern Orthodoxy[change | change source]

In the Eastern Orthodox Church a saint is defined as anyone who is in Heaven, whether recognized here on earth, or not.^[2] This means Adam and Eve, Moses, and the various prophets (except for the angels and archangels) are all given the title of «Saint». In the Orthodox Church, sainthood refers to closeness to God.

Lutheranism[change | change source]

In the Lutheran Church, all Christians, whether in heaven or on earth, are regarded as saints. However, the church still recognizes and honors certain saints, including some saints honored by the Catholic Church.

Methodism[change | change source]

While Methodists as a whole do not practice the patronage or veneration of saints, they do honor and admire them. Methodists believe that all Christians are saints, but mostly use the term to refer to biblical people, Christian leaders, and martyrs of the faith. Many Methodist churches are named after saints, such as the Twelve Apostles, John Wesley, etc.

Mormons (Latter-day Saints)[change | change source]

The beliefs within The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) with regard to saints are close to the beliefs of the Protestant faith. In the New Testament the saints are all those who have been baptized. «Latter-day» refers to the doctrine that members are living in the «latter days», before the Second Coming of Christ.^[5] Therefore members are often referred to as «Latter-day Saints» or «LDS», and among themselves as «Saints».^[6]

Oriental Orthodox[change | change source]

The Syriac Orthodox, Coptic Orthodox Church of Alexandria, Ethiopian Orthodox, Eritrean Orthodox, Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church and Armenian Apostolic Church do accept the existence of saints, but officially recognize them in their own ways. For example, the Pope of the Coptic Orthodox Church of Alexandria canonizes saints, through the approval of that church’s Holy Synod. A requirement of the Coptic Orthodox faith is that at least 50 years must pass from a saint’s death to his canonization, and the Coptic Orthodox Pope must follow that rule.

Other Christian groups[change | change source]

There are some groups who do not accept the idea of the Communion of Saints. Some believe all of the departed are in soul sleep until the final resurrection on Judgment Day. Others believe that the departed go to either Paradise or Tartarus, to await the day in which the living and the dead are judged. Certain groups do not believe that the departed have any connection with the living.

Protestantism[change | change source]

In many Protestant churches, the word «saint» is used more generally to refer to anyone who is a Christian. This is similar to Paul’s numerous references in the New Testament of the Bible.^[7] In this way, anyone who is within the Body of Christ (any Christian) is a ‘saint’ because of their relationship with Christ Jesus. Many Protestants consider prayers to the saints to be idolatry because they believe prayers should be given only to God himself.^[8]

Roman Catholicism[change | change source]

One Roman Catholic website says that «There are over 10,000 named saints and beatified people from history, the Roman Martyrology and Orthodox sources, but no definitive head count».^[9]

Rev. Alban Butler published Lives of the Saints in 1756, containing 1,486 saints. The latest edition of this work contains the lives of 2,565 saints.^[10] Monsignor Robert Sarno, an official of Vatican’s Congregation for the Causes of Saints, said it is impossible to say the exact number of saints.^[11]

The Catholic Church teaches that it does not make anyone into a saint. Instead, it recognizes a saint.^[12] In the Church, the title of Saint refers to a person who has been canonized (officially recognized) by the Catholic Church, and is therefore believed to be in Heaven.

Because the Church believes all people in Heaven are saints, there are many people believed to be in Heaven who have not been officially declared as saints.^[13] Sometimes the word «saint» is used to refer to Christians still living here on earth.^[3]

The veneration of saints, in Latin, cultus, or the «cult of the saints», describes devotion to a particular saint or saints. Sometimes this is called «worship», but only in the old-sense meaning «to honor or give respect». According to the Catholic Church, Divine Worship is properly reserved only for God and never to the saints.^[14] Saints can be asked for help,^[15] just as one can ask someone on earth to pray for them.

A saint may be a patron saint of a cause or profession, or invoked against specific illnesses or disasters, sometimes by popular custom and sometimes by official statements of the Magisterium.^[16] Saints are not thought to have power of their own, but only that granted by God.

Becoming a Saint[change | change source]

A person who is seen as very holy can be declared a saint by a formal process, called canonization. Formal canonization is a lengthy process often taking many years, even centuries.^[17] The first step in this process is an investigation of the candidate’s life, undertaken by an expert. After this, the report on the candidate is given to the bishop of the area and more studying is done. It is then sent to the Congregation for the Causes of Saints in Rome.^[18]

If the application is approved, the person may be granted the title of «Venerable».^[18] Further investigations may lead to the candidate’s beatification and given title of «Blessed».^[18] At least two important miracles are required to be formally declared a saint. These miracles must have happened after the candidate died.^[18] Finally, when all of this is done the Pope canonizes the saint.^[18]

Once a person has been declared a saint, the body of the saint is considered holy.^[19] The remains of saints are called holy relics and are usually used in churches. Saints’ personal belongings may also be used as relics.^[19] Some of the saints have a symbol that represents their life.

Other religions[change | change source]

The word «saint» is not only used by Christianity. In many religions, there are people who have been recognized as having reached the highest goals of religious teaching. In English, the term saint is often used to translate this idea from many world religions.

African Diaspora[change | change source]

Cuban Santería, Haitian Vodou, Brazilian Umbanda and Candomblé, and other similar syncretist religions adopted the Catholic saints, or at least the images of the saints, and applied their own spirits/deities to them. They are worshiped in churches (where they appear as saints) and in religious festivals, where they appear as the deities. The name santería was originally a negative term for those whose worship of saints deviated from Catholic norms.

Buddhism[change | change source]

Buddhists hold the Arhats^[source?] and Arahants^[source?] in special esteem, as well as Bodhisattvas and Buddhas.^[source?]

Discordianism[change | change source]

In Discordianism, anyone, living or dead, or even anything can be named a saint. Anyone may canonize anything or anyone else as everyone, whether they are aware of it or not, is a pope in the POEE. This is because «moral perfection isn’t necessary for Discordian Sainthood. You just have to suffer a lot.»

Hinduism[change | change source]

There are people who have been described as being Hindu saints, most of whom have also been more specifically identified by the terms Sant, Mahatma, Paramahamsa, or Swami, or with the titles Sri or Srila.

Islam[change | change source]

The Arabic word wali (Arabic ولي, plural Awliyā’ أولياء) is usually translated into English as «Saint». However, the wali should not be confused with the Christian tradition of sainthood. An important early scholar of Sunni Islamic beliefs, Ahmad ibn Muhammad al-Tahawi, mentioned in his book «Al-Aqidah At-Tahawiya»:

We do not prefer any of the saintly men among the Ummah over any of the Prophets but rather we say that any one of the Prophets is better than all the awliya’ put together. We believe in what we know of Karamat, the marvels of the awliya’ and in authentic stories about them from trustworthy sources.^[20]

Unlike Prophets and Messengers, the awliya can be either male and female. One of the best known female saints is Rabi`a al-Adawiyya.

It is widely regarded^[source?] in Islam that the saints of saints is Ali Ibn Abi Talib the cousin of Muhammad all Sufi orders originate through his teachings. In addition all saints regard him as their champion ‘The Saints of Saints’

In Sufism, the major wali are considered to have been masters in the art of spiritual purification. Some groups within Islam hold the Hadrat (literally, Presence, a title of Sufi saints) in esteem.

Judaism[change | change source]

The word Tzadik «righteous», and its associated meanings, developed in Rabbinic thought from its Talmudic contrast with Hasid («Pious» honorific), to its exploration in Ethical literature, and its spiritualisation in Kabbalah. In Hasidic Judaism, the institution of the Tzadik assumed central importance.

Sikhism[change | change source]

The concept of sant or bhagat is found in North Indian religious thought including Sikhism. Figures such as Kabir, Ravidas, Nanak, and others are widely regarded as belonging to the Sant tradition. Some of their mystical compositions are incorporated in the Guru Granth Sahib. The term «Sant» is still sometimes loosely applied to living individuals in the Sikh and related communities.^[source?]

[change | change source]

• Icon
• Patron saint

References[change | change source]

Notes[change | change source]

Bibliography[change | change source]

• Beyer, Jürgen, et al., eds. Confessional sanctity (c. 1550 — c. 1800). Mainz: Philipp von Zabern, 2003.
• Bruhn, Siglind. Saints in the Limelight: Representations of the Religious Quest on the Post-1945 Operatic Stage. Hillsdale, New York: Pendragon Press, 2003. ISBN 978-1-57647-096-1.
• Cunningham, Lawrence S. The Meaning of Saints. San Francisco: Harper & Row, 1980.
• Hawley, John Stratton, ed. Saints and Virtues. Berkeley: University of California Press, 1987.
• Jean-Luc Deuffic (éd.), Reliques et sainteté dans l’espace médiéval [1]
• O’Malley, Vincent J. «Ordinary Suffering of Extraordinary Saints», 1999. ISBN 0-87973-893-6
• Perham, Michael. The Communion of Saints. London: Alcuin Club / SPCK, 1980.
• Watchtower Bible and Tract Society. Insight on the Scriptures: Volume 1. Brooklyn,: Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society, 1988.
• Woodward, Kenneth L. Making Saints. New York: Simon & Schuster, 1996.

Other websites[change | change source]

• Inspirational Quotes from the Saints
• Today’s Saints on the Calendar
• http://www.oodegr.com/english/istorika/britain/British_saints.htm
• Biographies of Saints and Gurus in the Indian Tradition

Stages of Canonization in the Catholic Church
Servant of God   →   Venerable   →   Blessed   →   Saint

In religious belief, a saint is a person who is recognized as having an exceptional degree of holiness, likeness, or closeness to God. However, the use of the term saint depends on the context and denomination. In Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, Anglican, Oriental Orthodox, and Lutheran doctrine, all of their faithful deceased in Heaven are considered to be saints, but some are considered worthy of greater honor or emulation.^[1] Official ecclesiastical recognition, and consequently a public cult of veneration, is conferred on some denominational saints through the process of canonization in the Catholic Church or glorification in the Eastern Orthodox Church after their approval.^[2]

While the English word saint originated in Christianity, historians of religion tend to use the appellation «in a more general way to refer to the state of special holiness that many religions attribute to certain people», referring to the Jewish tzadik, the Islamic walī, the Hindu rishi or Sikh Bhagat and guru, the Shintoist kami, the Taoist shengren, and the Buddhist arhat or bodhisattva also as saints.^[3][4] Depending on the religion, saints are recognized either by official ecclesiastical declaration, as in the Catholic faith, or by popular acclamation (see folk saint).^[5]

General characteristics[edit]

The English word saint comes from the Latin sanctus, with the Greek equivalent being ἅγιος (hagios) ‘holy’.^[6] The word ἅγιος appears 229 times in the Greek New Testament, and its English translation 60 times in the corresponding text of the King James Version of the Bible.^[7]

The word sanctus was originally a technical one in ancient Roman religion, but due to its globalized use in Christianity the modern word saint is now also used as a translation of comparable terms for persons «worthy of veneration for their holiness or sanctity» in other religions.

Many religions also use similar concepts (but different terminology) to venerate persons worthy of some honor.^[3] Author John A. Coleman of the Graduate Theological Union, Berkeley, California, wrote that saints across various cultures and religions have the following family resemblances:^[8]

1. exemplary model
2. extraordinary teacher
3. wonder worker or source of benevolent power
4. intercessor
5. a life often refusing material attachments or comforts
6. possession of a special and revelatory relation to the holy.

The anthropologist Lawrence Babb in an article about Indian guru Sathya Sai Baba asks the question «Who is a saint?», and responds by saying that in the symbolic infrastructure of some religions, there is the image of a certain extraordinary spiritual king’s «miraculous powers», to whom frequently a certain moral presence is attributed. These saintly figures, he asserts, are «the focal points of spiritual force-fields». They exert «powerful attractive influence on followers but touch the inner lives of others in transforming ways as well».^[9]

Christianity[edit]

Catholic Church[edit]

According to the Catholic Church, a saint may be anyone in Heaven, whether recognized on Earth or not, who forms the «great cloud of witnesses» (Hebrews 12:1).^[10][11] These «may include our own mothers, grandmothers or other loved ones (cf. 2 Tim 1:5)» who may have not always lived perfect lives, but «amid their faults and failings they kept moving forward and proved pleasing to the Lord».^[10] The title Saint denotes a person who has been formally canonized—that is, officially and authoritatively declared a saint, by the church as holder of the Keys of the Kingdom of Heaven, and is therefore believed to be in Heaven by the grace of God. There are many persons that the church believes to be in Heaven who have not been formally canonized and who are otherwise titled saints because of the fame of their holiness.^[12] Sometimes the word saint also denotes living Christians.^[13]

According to the Catechism of the Catholic Church, «The patriarchs, prophets, and certain other Old Testament figures have been and always will be honored as saints in all the church’s liturgical traditions.»^[14]

In his book Saint of the Day, editor Leonard Foley says this: the «[Saints’] surrender to God’s love was so generous an approach to the total surrender of Jesus that the Church recognizes them as heroes and heroines worthy to be held up for our inspiration. They remind us that the Church is holy, can never stop being holy and is called to show the holiness of God by living the life of Christ.»^[15]

The Catholic Church teaches that it does not «make» or «create» saints, but rather recognizes them. Proofs of heroic virtue required in the process of beatification will serve to illustrate in detail the general principles exposed above^[16] upon proof of their holiness or likeness to God.

On 3 January 993, Pope John XV became the first pope to proclaim a person a saint from outside the diocese of Rome: on the petition of the German ruler, he had canonized Bishop Ulrich of Augsburg. Before that time, the popular «cults», or venerations, of saints had been local and spontaneous and were confirmed by the local bishop.^[17] Pope John XVIII subsequently permitted a cult of five Polish martyrs.^[17] Pope Benedict VIII later declared the Armenian hermit Simeon of Mantua to be a saint, but it was not until the pontificate of Pope Innocent III that the Popes reserved to themselves the exclusive authority to canonize saints, so that local bishops needed the confirmation of the Pope.^[17] Walter of Pontoise was the last person in Western Europe to be canonized by an authority other than the Pope: Hugh de Boves, the Archbishop of Rouen, canonized him in 1153.^[18][19] Thenceforth a decree of Pope Alexander III in 1170 reserved the prerogative of canonization to the Pope, insofar as the Latin Church was concerned.^[18]

Alban Butler published Lives of the Saints in 1756, including a total of 1,486 saints. The latest revision of this book, edited by Herbert Thurston and Donald Attwater, contains the lives of 2,565 saints.^[20] Monsignor Robert Sarno, an official of the Dicastery for the Causes of Saints of the Holy See, expressed that it is impossible to give an exact number of saints.^[21]

The veneration of saints, in Latin cultus, or the «cult of the Saints», describes a particular popular devotion or entrustment of one’s self to a particular saint or group of saints. Although the term worship is sometimes used, it is only used with the older English connotation of honoring or respecting (dulia) a person. According to the church, Divine worship is in the strict sense reserved only to God (latria) and never to the saints. One is permitted to ask the saints to intercede or pray to God for persons still on Earth,^[22] just as one can ask someone on Earth to pray for him.

A saint may be designated as a patron saint of a particular cause, profession, or locale, or invoked as a protector against specific illnesses or disasters, sometimes by popular custom and sometimes by official declarations of the church.^[23] Saints are not believed to have power of their own, but only that granted by God. Relics of saints are respected, or venerated, similar to the veneration of holy images and icons. The practice in past centuries of venerating relics of saints with the intention of obtaining healing from God through their intercession is taken from the early church.^[24] For example, an American deacon claimed in 2000 that John Henry Newman^[25] (then blessed) interceded with God to cure him of a physical illness. The deacon, Jack Sullivan, asserted that after addressing Newman he was cured of spinal stenosis in a matter of hours. In 2009, a panel of theologians concluded that Sullivan’s recovery was the result of his prayer to Newman. According to the church, to be deemed a miracle, «a medical recovery must be instantaneous, not attributable to treatment, disappear for good.»^[26]

Once a person has been canonized, the deceased body of the saint is considered holy as a relic.^[27] The remains of saints are called holy relics and are usually used in churches. Saints’ personal belongings may also be used as relics.^[27] Some of the saints have a special symbol by tradition, e.g., Saint Lawrence, deacon and martyr, is identified by a gridiron because he is believed to have been burned to death on one. This symbol is found, for instance, in the Canadian heraldry of the office responsible for the St. Lawrence Seaway.

Stages of canonization[edit]

Formal canonization is a lengthy process, often of many years or even centuries.^[28] There are four major steps to become a saint.^[29][30] The first stage in this process is an investigation of the candidate’s life by an expert. After this, the official report on the candidate is submitted to the bishop of the pertinent diocese and more study is undertaken. The information is then sent to the Dicastery for the Causes of Saints of the Holy See for evaluation at the universal level of the church.^[31] If the application is approved the candidate may be granted the title Venerable (stage 2).^[31] Further investigation, step 3, may lead to the candidate’s beatification with the title Blessed,^[31] which is elevation to the class of the Beati. Next, and at a minimum, proof of two important miracles obtained from God through the intercession of the candidate are required for formal canonization as a saint. These miracles must be posthumous.^[31] Finally, in the last stage, after all of these procedures are complete, the Pope may canonize the candidate as a saint^[31] for veneration by the universal church.

Eastern Orthodoxy[edit]

In the Eastern Orthodox Church, a saint is defined as anyone who is in Heaven, whether recognized here on Earth, or not.^[2] By this definition, Adam and Eve, Moses, the various prophets, except for the angels and archangels are all given the title of «Saint». Sainthood in the Orthodox Church does not necessarily reflect a moral model, but the communion with God: there are countless examples of people who lived in great sin and became saints by humility and repentance, such as Mary of Egypt, Moses the Ethiopian, and Dysmas, the repentant thief who was crucified. Therefore, a more complete Eastern Orthodox definition of what a saint is, has to do with the way that saints, through their humility and their love of humankind, saved inside them the entire Church, and loved all people.

Orthodox belief considers that God reveals saints through answered prayers and other miracles. Saints are usually recognized by a local community, often by people who directly knew them. As their popularity grows they are often then recognized by the entire Church. The word canonization means that a Christian has been found worthy to have his name placed in the canon (official list) of saints of the Church. The formal process of recognition involves deliberation by a synod of bishops.^[2] The Orthodox Church does not require the manifestation of miracles; what is required is evidence of a virtuous life.

If the ecclesiastical review is successful, this is followed by a service of Glorification in which the Saint is given a day on the Church calendar to be celebrated by the entire Church.^[32] This does not, however, make the person a saint; the person already was a saint and the Church ultimately recognized it.

As a general rule, only clergy will touch relics in order to move them or carry them in procession, however, in veneration the faithful will kiss the relic to show love and respect toward the saint. The altar in an Orthodox Church usually contains relics of saints,^[33] often of martyrs. Church interiors are covered with the Icons of saints. When an Orthodox Christian venerates icons of a saint he is venerating the image of God which he sees in the saint.

Because the Church shows no true distinction between the living and the dead, as the saints are considered to be alive in Heaven, saints are referred to as if they are still alive, and are venerated, not worshiped. They are believed to be able to intercede for salvation and help mankind either through direct communion with God or by personal intervention.

In the Eastern Orthodox Church, the title Ὅσιος, Hosios (f. Ὁσία Hosia) is also used. This is a title attributed to saints who had lived a monastic or eremitic life equivalent to the more usual title of «Saint».^{[citation needed]}

Oriental Orthodoxy[edit]

The Oriental Orthodox churches ‒ the Armenian Apostolic Church, the Coptic Orthodox Church of Alexandria, the Tewahedo Church, the Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church, and the Syriac Orthodox Church ‒ follow a canonization process unique to each church. The Coptic Orthodox Church of Alexandria, for example, has the requirement that at least 50 years must pass following a prospective saint’s death before the Coptic Orthodox Church’s pope can canonize the saint.

Anglicanism[edit]

In the Anglican Communion and the Continuing Anglican movement, the title of Saint refers to a person who has been elevated by popular opinion as a pious and holy person. The saints are seen as models of holiness to be imitated, and as a «cloud of witnesses» that strengthen and encourage the believer during his or her spiritual journey (Hebrews 12:1). The saints are seen as elder brothers and sisters in Christ. Official Anglican creeds recognize the existence of the saints in heaven.

In high-church contexts, such as Anglo-Catholicism, a saint is generally one to whom has been attributed (and who has generally demonstrated) a high level of holiness and sanctity. In this use, a saint is therefore not merely a believer, but one who has been transformed by virtue. In Catholicism, a saint is a special sign of God’s activity. The veneration of saints is sometimes misunderstood to be worship, in which case it is derisively termed «hagiolatry».

So far as invocation of the saints is concerned,^[34] one of the Church of England’s Articles of Religion «Of Purgatory» condemns «the Romish Doctrine concerning…(the) Invocation of Saints» as «a fond thing vainly invented, and grounded upon no warranty of Scripture, but rather repugnant to the Word of God». Anglo-Catholics in Anglican provinces using the Articles often make a distinction between a «Romish» and a «Patristic» doctrine concerning the invocation of saints, permitting the latter in accordance with Article XXII. Indeed, the theologian E.J. Bicknell stated that the Anglican view acknowledges that the term «invocation may mean either of two things: the simple request to a saint for his prayers (intercession), ‘ora pro nobis’, or a request for some particular benefit. In medieval times the saints had come to be regarded as themselves the authors of blessings. Such a view was condemned but the former was affirmed.»^[35]

Some Anglicans and Anglican churches, particularly Anglo-Catholics, personally ask prayers of the saints. However, such a practice is seldom found in any official Anglican liturgy. Unusual examples of it are found in The Korean Liturgy 1938, the liturgy of the Diocese of Guiana 1959 and The Melanesian English Prayer Book.

Anglicans believe that the only effective Mediator between the believer and God the Father, in terms of redemption and salvation, is God the Son, Jesus Christ. Historical Anglicanism has drawn a distinction between the intercession of the saints and the invocation of the saints. The former was generally accepted in Anglican doctrine, while the latter was generally rejected.^[35] There are some, however, in Anglicanism, who do beseech the saints’ intercession. Those who beseech the saints to intercede on their behalf make a distinction between mediator and intercessor, and claim that asking for the prayers of the saints is no different in kind than asking for the prayers of living Christians. Anglican Catholics understand sainthood in a more Catholic or Orthodox way, often praying for intercessions from the saints and celebrating their feast days.

According to the Church of England, a saint is one who is sanctified, as it translates in the Authorized King James Version (1611) 2 Chronicles 6:41:

Now therefore arise, O LORD God, into thy resting place, thou, and the ark of thy strength: let thy priests, O LORD God, be clothed with salvation, and let thy saints rejoice in goodness.

Lutheranism[edit]

In the Lutheran Church, all Christians, whether in Heaven or on Earth, are regarded as saints. However, the church still recognizes and honors specific saints, including some of those recognized by the Catholic Church, but in a qualified way: according to the Augsburg Confession,^[37] the term saint is used in the manner of the Catholic Church only insofar as to denote a person who received exceptional grace, was sustained by faith, and whose good works are to be an example to any Christian. Traditional Lutheran belief accounts that prayers to the saints are prohibited, as they are not mediators of redemption.^[38][39] But, Lutherans do believe that saints pray for the Christian Church in general.^[40] Philip Melanchthon, the author of the Apology of the Augsburg Confession, approved honoring the saints by saying they are honored in three ways:

1. By thanking God for examples of His mercy;

2. By using the saints as examples for strengthening our faith; and

3. By imitating their faith and other virtues.^[41][42][43]

The Lutheran Churches also have liturgical calendars in which they honor individuals as saints.

The intercession of saints was criticized in the Augsburg Confession, Article XXI: Of the Worship of the Saints. This criticism was rebutted by the Catholic side in the Confutatio Augustana,^[44] which in turn was rebutted by the Lutheran side in the Apology to the Augsburg Confession.^[45]

Methodism[edit]

While Methodists as a whole do not venerate saints, they do honor and admire them. Methodists believe that all Christians are saints, but mainly use the term to refer to biblical figures, Christian leaders, and martyrs of the faith. Many Methodist churches are named after saints—such as the Twelve Apostles, John Wesley, etc.—although most are named after geographical locations associated with an early circuit or prominent location. Methodist congregations observe All Saints’ Day.^[46] Many encourage the study of saints, that is, the biographies of holy people.

The 14th Article of Religion in the United Methodist Book of Discipline states:

The Romish doctrine concerning purgatory, pardon, worshiping, and adoration, as well of images as of relics, and also invocation of saints, is a fond thing, vainly invented, and grounded upon no warrant of Scripture, but repugnant to the Word of God.^[47]

Other Protestantism[edit]

In many Protestant churches, the word saint is used more generally to refer to anyone who is a Christian. This is similar in usage to Paul’s numerous references in the New Testament of the Bible.^[48] In this sense, anyone who is within the Body of Christ (i.e., a professing Christian) is a saint because of their relationship with Christ Jesus. Many Protestants consider intercessory prayers to the saints to be idolatry, since what they perceive to be an application of divine worship that should be given only to God himself is being given to other believers, dead or alive.^[49]

Within some Protestant traditions, saint is also used to refer to any born-again Christian. Many emphasize the traditional New Testament meaning of the word, preferring to write «saint» to refer to any believer, in continuity with the doctrine of the priesthood of all believers.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints[edit]

The use of «saint» within the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) is similar to the Protestant tradition. In the New Testament, saints are all those who have entered into the Christian covenant of baptism. The qualification «latter-day» refers to the doctrine that members are living in the latter days before the Second Coming of Christ, and is used to distinguish the members of the church, which considers itself the restoration of the ancient Christian church.^[50] Members are therefore often referred to as «Latter-day Saints» or «LDS», and among themselves as «saints».^[51]

Other religions[edit]

In some theological literature, the use of the term saint tends to be used in non-Christian contexts as well. In many religions, there are people who have been recognized within their tradition as having fulfilled the highest aspirations of religious teaching. In English, the term saint is often used to translate this idea from many world religions. The Jewish hasid or tsaddiq, the Islamic qidees, the Zoroastrian fravashi, the Hindu rsi or guru, the Buddhist arahant or bodhisattva, the Daoist shengren, the Shinto kami, and others have all been referred to as saints.^[52]

African diaspora[edit]

Cuban Santería, Haitian Vodou, Trinidad Orisha-Shango, Brazilian Umbanda, Candomblé, and other similar syncretist religions adopted the Catholic saints, or at least the images of the saints, and applied their own spirits/deities to them. They are worshiped in churches (where they appear as saints) and in religious festivals, where they appear as the deities. The name santería was originally a pejorative term for those whose worship of saints deviated from Catholic norms.

Buddhism[edit]

Buddhists in both the Theravada and Mahayana traditions hold the Arhats in special esteem, as well as highly developed Bodhisattvas.

Tibetan Buddhists hold the tulkus (reincarnates of deceased eminent practitioners) as living saints on earth.^[53]

Hinduism[edit]

Hindu saints are those recognized by Hindus as showing a great degree of holiness and sanctity. Hinduism has a long tradition of stories and poetry about saints. There is no formal canonization process in Hinduism, but over time, many men and women have reached the status of saints among their followers and among Hindus in general. Unlike in Christianity, Hinduism does not canonize people as saints after death, but they can be accepted as saints during their lifetime.^[54] Hindu saints have often renounced the world, and are variously called gurus, sadhus, rishis, devarishis, rajarshis, saptarishis, brahmarshis, swamis, pundits, purohits, pujaris, acharyas, pravaras, yogis, yoginis, and other names.^[55]

Some Hindu saints are given god-like status, being seen as incarnations of Vishnu, Shiva, Devi, and other aspects of the Divine—this can happen during their lifetimes, or sometimes many years after their deaths. This explains another common name for Hindu saints: godmen.^[56]

Islam[edit]

Main article: Wali

Besides prophets, according to Islam, saints possess blessings (Arabic: بركة, «baraka») and can perform miracles (Arabic: كرامات, Karāmāt). Saints rank lower than prophets, and they do not intercede for people on the Day of Judgment. However, both the tombs of prophets and saints are visited frequently (Ziyarat). People would seek the advice of a saint in their quest for spiritual fulfilment. Unlike saints in Christianity, Muslim saints are usually acknowledged informally by consensus of common people, not by scholars. Unlike prophets, women like Rabia of Basra were accepted as saints.^[57]

Islam has had a rich history of veneration of saints (often called wali, which literally means ‘Friend [of God]’),^[58] which has declined in some parts of the Islamic world in the twentieth century due to the influence of the various streams of Salafism. In Sunni Islam, the veneration of saints became a very common form of devotion early on,^[58] and saints came to be defined in the eighth-century as a group of «special people chosen by God and endowed with exceptional gifts, such as the ability to work miracles.»^[59] The classical Sunni scholars came to recognize and honor these individuals as venerable people who were both «loved by God and developed a close relationship of love to Him.»^[59] «Belief in the miracles of saints (karāmāt al-awliyāʾ) … [became a] requirement in Sunni Islam [during the classical period],»^[60] with even medieval critics of the ubiquitous practice of grave visitation like Ibn Taymiyyah emphatically declaring: «The miracles of saints are absolutely true and correct, and acknowledged by all Muslim scholars. The Quran has pointed to it in different places, and the sayings of the Prophet have mentioned it, and whoever denies the miraculous power of saints are innovators or following innovators.»^[61] The vast majority of saints venerated in the classical Sunni world were the Sufis, who were all Sunni mystics who belonged to one of the four orthodox legal schools of Sunni law.^[62]

Veneration of saints eventually became one of the most widespread Sunni practices for more than a millennium, before it was opposed in the twentieth century by the Salafi movement, whose various streams regard it as «being both un-Islamic and backwards … rather than the integral part of Islam which they were for over a millennium.»^[63] In a manner similar to the Protestant Reformation,^[64] the specific traditional practices which Salafism has tried to curtail in both Sunni and Shia contexts include those of the veneration of saints, visiting their graves, seeking their intercession, and honoring their relics. As Christopher Taylor has remarked: «[Throughout Islamic history] a vital dimension of Islamic piety was the veneration of Muslim saints…. [Due, however to] certain strains of thought within the Islamic tradition itself, particularly pronounced in the nineteenth and the twentieth centuries … [some modern day] Muslims have either resisted acknowledging the existence of Muslim saints altogether or have viewed their presence and veneration as unacceptable deviations.»^[65]

Judaism[edit]

The term Tzadik, ‘righteous’, and its associated meanings developed in rabbinic thought from its Talmudic contrast with Hasid, ‘pious’, to its exploration in ethical literature, and its esoteric spiritualization in Kabbalah. In Hasidic Judaism, the institution of the Tzadik assumed central importance, combining former elite mysticism with social movement for the first time.

Sikhism[edit]

The concept of sant or bhagat is found in North Indian religious thought including Sikhism, most notably in the Guru Granth Sahib. Figures such as Kabir, Ravidas, Namdev, and others are known as Sants or Bhagats. The term Sant is applied in the Sikh and related communities to beings that have attained enlightenment through God realization and spiritual union with God via repeatedly reciting the name of God (Naam Japo). Countless names of God exist. In Sikhism, Naam (spiritual internalization of God’s name) is commonly attained through the name of Waheguru, which translates to «Wondrous Guru».

Sikhs are encouraged to follow the congregation of a Sant (Sadh Sangat) or «The Company of the Holy». Sants grace the Sadh Sangat with knowledge of the Divine God, and how to take greater steps towards obtaining spiritual enlightenment through Naam. Sants are to be distinguished from «Guru» (such as Guru Nanak) who have compiled the path to God enlightenment in the Sri Guru Granth Sahib. Sikhism states however, that any beings that have become one with God are considered synonymous with God. As such, the fully realized Sant, Guru, and God are considered one.^[66]

See also[edit]

References[edit]

Citations[edit]

Sources[edit]

Further reading[edit]

• Delehaye, Hippolyte (1911). «Saint» . Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 23 (11th ed.). pp. 1010–1011.
• Gallick, Sarah (2014). 50 Saints Everyone Should Know. Wise Media Group. ASIN B007UI2LDE. E-book.
• Hebert, Alber (15 October 2004). Saints Who Raised the Dead: True Stories of 400 Resurrection Miracles. Illinois: TAN Books. ISBN 978-0-89555-798-8.
• Trigilio, John; Brighenti, Kenneth (2010). Saints for Dummies. ISBN 978-0-470-53358-1.

External links[edit]

• Today’s Saints on the Calendar
• Saints’ Books Library
• Orthodox Saints and Martyrs of the Ancient Church
• Saints and Their Legends: A Selection of Saints
• Biographies of Saints and Gurus in the Indian Tradition

• Aghwan: 𐕌𐕒𐕡𐕟𐕒𐕡𐕙 (muc̣’ur)
• Albanian: shenjtor (sq) m, shën m
• Arabic: (Islam) وَلِيّ‎ m (waliyy), (Christianity) قِدِّيس‎ m (qiddīs)

  Hijazi Arabic: قِدِّيس‎ m (qiddīs, giddīs)

  Moroccan Arabic: ولي‎ m (wali), ولي صالح‎ m (wali ṣāliḥ)

• Armenian: սուրբ (hy) (surb)
• Aromanian: sãntu m, sãmtu m, ayiu
• Asturian: santu m, santa f
• Bashkir: әүлиә (äwliä) (in Islam)
• Belarusian: святы́ m (svjatý), свята́я f (svjatája)
• Bengali: অলি (oli), পীর (bn) (pir)
• Bulgarian: светец (bg) (svetec)
• Catalan: sant (ca) m, santa (ca) f
• Chinese:

  Cantonese: 聖人／圣人 (sing³ jan⁴), 聖徒／圣徒 (sing³ tou⁴)

  Mandarin: 聖人／圣人 (zh) (shèngrén), 聖徒／圣徒 (zh) (shèngtú)

  Min Nan: 聖人／圣人 (zh-min-nan) (sèng-jîn, sèng-lîn)

• Czech: svatý (cs) m, svatá (cs) f
• Dalmatian: suant m
• Danish: helgen c
• Dutch: heilige (nl) m or f
• Esperanto: (♂♀) sanktulo, (♂) virsanktulo, (neologism, ♂) sanktuliĉo, (♂♀) sanktulino
• Finnish: pyhimys (fi)
• French: saint (fr) m, sainte (fr) f

  Middle French: sainct m

  Old French: saint m, seint m

• Friulian: sant m
• Galician: santo m, santa f
• Georgian: წმინდანი (c̣mindani)
• German: Heiliger (de) m
• Greek:

  Ancient Greek: ἅγιος m (hágios)

  Modern Greek: άγιος (el) m (ágios), αγία (el) f (agía)

• Hindi: मुकद्दस (hi) (mukaddas), वाली (hi) m (vālī), महात्मा (hi) m (mahātmā), संत (hi) m (sant), पुनीत (hi) (punīt)
• Hungarian: szent (hu)
• Icelandic: dýrlingur (is) m
• Indonesian: santo (id) (male), santa (id) (female)
• Irish: naomh m
• Italian: santo (it) m, santa (it) f
• Jakaltek: tioẍ
• Japanese: 聖人 (ja) (せいじん, seijin)
• Korean: 성인 (ko) (seong’in)
• Lao: ນັກບຸນ (nak bun)
• Latgalian: svāts m, svāta f, svātlelyskys m
• Latin: sānctus (la) m
• Latvian: svēts (lv) m, svēta f
• Lombard: sant (lmo) m
• Lithuanian: šventasis m, šventoji f
• Luxembourgish: Hellegen m
• Macedonian: светец m (svetec), светица f (svetica)
• Malay: wali (ms), santo
• Maltese: qaddis m, santu m
• Maori: hato
• Norman: saint m
• Norwegian:

  Bokmål: helgen (no) m, sankt

  Nynorsk: helgen (no) m

• Occitan: sant (oc) m
• Old English: hālga m, sanct m
• Old Occitan: saint
• Persian: مقدس‎ (fa) (moqaddas), قدیس‎ (fa) (qeddis), سن‎ (fa) (san), سنتا‎ (santâ)
• Polish: święty (pl) m, święta (pl) f
• Portuguese: santo (pt) m, santa (pt) f
• Romanian: sfânt (ro) m, sfântă (ro) f, sânt (ro) m (popular), sântă f (popular)
• Romansch: sontg m, sogn n, son m, sench m, sonch m
• Russian: свято́й (ru) m (svjatój), свята́я (ru) f (svjatája)
• Sardinian: santu m
• Scottish Gaelic: naomh m
• Serbo-Croatian:

  Cyrillic: светац m

  Roman: svetac (sh) m, svetica (sh) f, svet (sh) m, sveto n, sveta f

• Sicilian: santu (scn) m
• Slovak: svätý m, svätá f
• Slovene: svetnik (sl) m, svetnica f
• Spanish: santo (es) m, santa (es) f
• Swahili: mtakatifu (sw)
• Swedish: helgon (sv)
• Tagalog: santo (tl)
• Tajik: муқаддас (tg) (muqaddas)
• Thai: นักบุญ (th) (nák-bun), วิสุทธิชน
• Turkish: aziz (tr)
• Ukrainian: святи́й m (svjatýj), свята́ f (svjatá)
• Urdu: مقدس‎ (ur) m (muqadas), مقدسہ‎ (ur) f (muqaddasa), بزرگ‎, ولی‎ m (valī), ولیہ‎ f (valīyā)
• Venetian: santo m
• Vietnamese: thánh (vi)
• Volapük: (♂♀) saludan (vo), (♂) hisaludan (vo), (♀) jisaludan (vo)
• Walloon: sint (wa) m, sinte (wa) f

Saints [N]

The word «saint» is derived from a Greek verb (hagiazo [aJgiavzw]) whose basic meaning is «to set apart, » «sanctify, » or «make holy.» In the history of the Old Testament religion, the idea of holiness or separateness was inherent in the concept of God. God was unapproachable in the tabernacle or temple by the ordinary individual, being accessible only to the priests and only under carefully specified conditions. His presence (the Shekinah) dwelled in the Holy of Holies or the Most Holy Place, the most remote and inaccessible place in the wilderness tabernacle and later in the Jerusalem temple. Only the high priest was allowed to stand in God’s presence in this area, and then only once a year at Yom Kippur (the Day of Atonement).

This sacred place was further separated from the ordinary Jewish worshiper by another room called «the Holy Place, » which could be entered only by priests. The intent was to impress upon the people the utter holiness and sacredness of the God they worshiped, as well as the necessity of their being set apart or sanctified as saints in his service. This sense of Jehovah’s separateness from the sins of the people and from the pagan idols of the lands in which they dwelled was the heart of Jewish monotheism. Its eventual disregard led to the destruction of the temple and the exile of Israel.

This idea of the separateness of God and his people is carried forward in the New Testament, which was written by Jews (except possibly Luke-Acts) who interpreted God’s covenant with Israel through the teachings of Christ. Those who were dedicated to the teachings of Christ were frequently called saints by these writers (e.g., Matt 27:52 ; Acts 9:13 ; 26:10 ; Rev 14:12 ). Six of Paul’s letters to churches are addressed to saints (Romans, 1-2 Corinthians, Ephesians, Philippians, and Colossians).

Saints, in the New Testament, are never deceased individuals who have been canonized by the church and given sainthood. They are living individuals who have dedicated themselves to the worship and service of the one true God as revealed through his Son, Jesus Christ. Even the children of such parents are called «sanctified» ( 1 Cor 7:14-15 ). That is, they are considered undefiled by paganism if at least one of their parents is a Christian. All saved are sanctified, but not all sanctified are saved.

On occasion, when discussing the atonement, Paul carefully differentiates between Jewish Christians and Gentile Christians, calling the former saints and the latter believers. It was the saints, the holy people of God in the Old Testament, who brought the Messiah and redemption into the world, eventually extending the blessings to the Gentiles.

This usage may be seen in 1 Corinthians 1:2, which is addressed to «those sanctified in Christ Jesus and called to be holy [saints — Jewish Christians], together with all those [Gentiles] everywhere who call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ Lord and ours.» The same distinction is made in Ephesians 1:1: «to the saints [Jewish Christians] in Ephesus and the faithful [Gentiles] in Christ Jesus.» Colossians is also addressed to «the holy and faithful brothers» in Christ.

Paul addresses the letter to all the Christians in Rome as saints ( Rom 1:7 , because Gentiles who, as wild olive branches have been grafted into the stem of Judaism, now share in the full relationship to that plant and are also saints ), but the Jewish Christians in Rome, who are to be recipients of a special contribution Paul collected among Gentile churches, are called «the saints» in distinction ( Rom 15:25-33 ).

It is informative in this regard that Paul refers to this same collection in 2 Corinthians 8:1-4 as a sharing by the Macedonian churches with «the saints, » not with the «other» saints. Paul’s apprehension over whether the Jerusalem saints would accept such a contribution was based on the fact that Jewish Christians were being asked to accept the offering from Gentile Christians. The entire discussion of the issue in Acts 21 when Paul arrived in Jerusalem makes this clear.

Thus, although Gentile Christians are saints, too, because they were given access to the faith of Abraham and the people of the Old Testament, when redemptive history is discussed the Jews are specially designated the «saints» while the Gentiles are considered believers who were later admitted into this «holy» Jewish nucleus.

John McRay

See also Christians, Names of; Church, the; Holy, Holiness

Baker’s Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology. Edited by Walter A. Elwell
Copyright © 1996 by Walter A. Elwell. Published by Baker Books, a division of
Baker Book House Company, Grand Rapids, Michigan USA.
All rights reserved. Used by permission.

For usage information, please read the Baker Book House Copyright Statement.

---

[N] indicates this entry was also found in Nave’s Topical Bible
[J] indicates this entry was also found in Jack Van Impe’s Prophecy Dictionary

---

Bibliography InformationElwell, Walter A. «Entry for ‘Saints'». «Evangelical Dictionary of Theology». . 1997.

A saint (from Latin, sanctus) is one who is holy, that is, set apart for God’s service. It is a person who has cooperated with God’s grace to the extent that his or her holiness is beyond doubt.

Saints in the Bible

In the Holy Scripture, the word saint is used to refer to those who have been set apart for the service of God, consecrated for his purposes. As such, all members of the Church are called saints, regardless of their personal holiness or sinlessness. It is still appropriate to use the term in this way.

Saints in the Church

Aside from the more general use of the word saint to refer to all members of the Church, Holy Tradition also ascribes Saint as a title to particular persons whose lives have shown most clearly what it means to follow Jesus Christ. These saints are popularly glorified (canonized) by the Church, often in the modern era with a formal service to recognize and affirm the veneration of them by the faithful.

Saints are not thought of as either perfect or infallible, and it is only because of the work of Christ in them that the Church praises these people. It is because we see our Lord’s countenance reflected most clearly in their faces that we publicly laud them, ask them to pray for us, and encourage one another to follow their examples.

Recognition of saints

The people of the church do not create saints, they recognize as saints those whom God himself has glorified, seeing in their lives true love for God and their neighbors.

From the beginning, the Church recognized the righteous ancestors of Christ, forefathers, as grace-filled men and women whose lives were pleasing to God. Also the prophets who predicted Christ’s coming and the apostles and evangelists who proclaimed the Gospel were assumed to be saints.

Next the martyrs and confessors who risked their lives and shed their blood in witness to Christ were also recognized as saints.

In time, ascetics who followed Christ through self denial, were numbered among the saints.

Bishops and priests who fought against heresy and proclaimed the true faith are recognized by the Church as saints.

Today, holy people, in all walks of life, can be recognized as saints.

See also

• List of Saints
• Church Calendar
• Saint titles

External links

• The Saints of the Orthodox Church
• Feasts and Saints
• How Saints are Called