6,484
edits
Difference between revisions of "Saint"
no edit summary
Occultwiki (talk | contribs) |
Occultwiki (talk | contribs) |
||
| (6 intermediate revisions by the same user not shown) | |||
| Line 1: | Line 1: | ||
[[File:Romanovs-Portrait.jpg|300px|thumb|[[Nicholas II|Tsar Nicholas II]] and his family, saints in the Orthodox Church of Russia]] | [[File:Romanovs-Portrait.jpg|300px|thumb|[[Nicholas II|Tsar Nicholas II]] and his family, saints in the Orthodox Church of Russia]] | ||
A '''saint''' is a person who is recognized as having an exceptional degree of holiness, likeness, or closeness to [[Yahweh|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. | A '''saint''' is a person who is recognized as having an exceptional degree of holiness, likeness, or closeness to [[Yahweh|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. | ||
Depending on the religion, saints are recognized either by official ecclesiastical declaration, as in the Catholic faith, or by popular acclamation. | Depending on the religion, saints are recognized either by official ecclesiastical declaration, as in the Catholic faith, or by popular acclamation. | ||
| Line 10: | Line 10: | ||
According to the Catholic Church, a saint is anyone in Heaven, whether recognized on Earth or not, who form the "great cloud of witnesses" (Hebrews 12:1). 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." | According to the Catholic Church, a saint is anyone in Heaven, whether recognized on Earth or not, who form the "great cloud of witnesses" (Hebrews 12:1). 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." | ||
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. Sometimes the word saint also denotes living Christians. | 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 [[Yahweh|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. Sometimes the word saint also denotes living Christians. | ||
===Canonization=== | ===Canonization=== | ||
| Line 19: | Line 19: | ||
Further investigation, step 3, may lead to the candidate's beatification with the title Blessed, 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. Finally, in the last stage, after all of these procedures are complete, the Pope may canonize the candidate as a saint for veneration by the universal Church. | Further investigation, step 3, may lead to the candidate's beatification with the title Blessed, 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. Finally, in the last stage, after all of these procedures are complete, the Pope may canonize the candidate as a saint for veneration by the universal Church. | ||
=== | ===Examples of canonized saints=== | ||
* [[Gertrude the Great]] | * [[Gertrude the Great]] ''(Catholic)'' | ||
* [[Joan of Arc]] | * [[Joan of Arc]] ''(Catholic)'' | ||
* [[Constantine I]] | * [[Constantine I]] ''(Eastern Orthodox)'' | ||
* [[Nicholas II]] | * [[Jan Hus]] ''(Eastern Orthodox)'' | ||
* [[Nicholas II]] ''(Russian Orthodox)'' | |||
==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. | ||
| Line 32: | Line 33: | ||
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''. | |||
===Examples of folk saints=== | |||
* [[Saint Guinefort]] - France | * [[Saint Guinefort]] - France | ||
* [[María Lionza]] - Venezuela | * [[María Lionza]] - Venezuela | ||
* [[Santa Muerte]] - Latin America | * [[Santa Muerte]] - Latin America | ||
* [[Eva Perón]] - Argentina | * [[Eva Perón]] - Argentina | ||
* [[Zé Pilintra]] - Brazil | |||
* [[Grigori Rasputin]] - Russia | * [[Grigori Rasputin]] - Russia | ||
* [[Don Pedro Jaramillo]] - Texas, United States | * [[Don Pedro Jaramillo]] - Texas, United States | ||