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==Folk saints== | ==Folk saints== | ||
Folk saints are dead people or other spiritually powerful entities (such as indigenous spirits) venerated as saints, but not officially canonized. Since they are saints of the "folk," or the populus, they are also called ''popular saints''. Like officially recognized saints, folk saints are considered intercessors with God, but many are also understood to act directly in the lives of their devotees. | Folk saints are dead people or other spiritually powerful entities (such as indigenous spirits) venerated as saints, but not officially canonized. Since they are saints of the "folk," or the populus, they are also called ''popular saints''. Like officially recognized saints, folk saints are considered intercessors with [[Yahweh|God]], but many are also understood to act directly in the lives of their devotees. | ||
Frequently, their actions in life as well as in death distinguish folk saints from their canonized counterparts: official doctrine would consider many of them sinners and false idols. Their ranks are filled by folk healers, indigenous spirits, and folk heroes. Folk saints occur throughout the Catholic world, and they are especially popular in Latin America, where most have small followings; a few are celebrated at the national or even international level. | Frequently, their actions in life as well as in death distinguish folk saints from their canonized counterparts: official doctrine would consider many of them sinners and false idols. Their ranks are filled by folk healers, indigenous spirits, and folk heroes. Folk saints occur throughout the Catholic world, and they are especially popular in Latin America, where most have small followings; a few are celebrated at the national or even international level. | ||
Folk saints tend to come from the same communities as their followers. In death, they are said to continue as active members of their communities, remaining embedded within a system of reciprocity that reaches beyond the grave. An offering to a folk saint might include the same votive candles and ex-votos (tributes of thanks) left at the shrines to canonized saints, but they also frequently include other items that reflect something of the spirit's former life or personality. | Folk saints tend to come from the same communities as their followers. In death, they are said to continue as active members of their communities, remaining embedded within a system of reciprocity that reaches beyond the grave. An offering to a folk saint might include the same votive candles and ex-votos (tributes of thanks) left at the shrines to canonized saints, but they also frequently include other items that reflect something of the spirit's former life or personality. | ||
===Syncretization of saints=== | |||
Numerous [[African diaspora religion]]s syncretize indigenous or African spirits with canonized saints from major religions, particularly [[Christianity|Catholicism]]. One of the most prominent and organized forms of syncretization is found in the Afro-Brazilian religion of [[Candomblé]] and its offshoot, [[Umbanda]]. | |||
During Candomblé rituals, participants commune with, and are possessed by, spirits called ''orixás''. Each ''orixá'' is equated to a specific Catholic saint and many Candomblé temples contain pictures or statues of saints alongside images of their respective ''orixá''. | |||
===List of folk saints=== | ===List of folk saints=== | ||