Saint
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- For other uses, see Saint (disambiguation).
In Roman Catholic doctrine, a Saint (rel. cap.) is a term used to refer to a deceased person who exemplified the Christian life of faith and virtue, is popularly regarded as a holy person, and is officially proclaimed as having been given the gift of heaven. The process of officially recognizing a person as a Saint is called canonization and serves to hold up those individuals as role models and heroes of Christian virtue.
Due to historical ties with the Catholic Church, some Protestant churches may include some recognition of Saints in their doctrines. In general usage, saint simply refers to someone who is widely considered to be exceptionally virtuous, and may be applied equally to both the living and the dead. In this secular use, the term "saint" may be acceptable to use in non-Christian religious contexts. A "saint" is thus one who is held up by the community as a good example, where the story of their life is typically related for the purpose of serving others.
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Etymology
The term Saint is derived from the Latin Sanctus meaning “Holy”. This is a direct translation from the Greek word άγιος (hagios) also meaning “Holy”. In its original scriptural usage it simply means “Holy” or “Sanctified”. In this form it can be applied to a “Holy” person, a place (άγιον όρος; The Holy Mountain, Athos), a thing — such as Scripture itself (αγιογράφικα — Holy Writing), or even God (άγιον πνεύμα; - The Holy Spirit). But very soon the early Christians began to using the term “Saint” more narrowly to refer to a specific, exemplary individual. (For a lexical explanation, see Liddel & Scott. [1])
The earliest known occurrence of άγιος as "Saint" seems to be in The Shepherd of Hermas, chapter 5 (or 13, depending on how chapters are counted), verse 2. "The Shepherd" was authored sometime in the second century.
Short form
Abbreviation for the term Saint is usually “St.” or “St”; in cases where multiple Saints are referenced SS. is the norm.
Historicity
Some Roman Catholic and Protestant theologians believe that many people venerated as Saints never actually existed. The polite term for such "Saints" is ahistorical. Sorting out exactly which Saints are ahistorical is difficult, because of the larger difficulty of proving a negative: the absence of independent records of a Saint's existence doesn't prove she or he never existed; indeed there are no specific records of the existence of many people who lived before the 20th century. The Acta Sanctorum (hagiographical work) of the Bollandists forms a major part of the historiography of named Saints.
There are a large number of Christian saints with what appear to be pagan names. Most likely they were pagans who converted to Christianity and subsequently became Saints. However, it is possible that some pre-Christian deities (especially in Rome's area) were accidentally adopted as saints. It is thought that some cults were “Christianized” in a fairly direct manner. The basis for this is usually a similarity of names. For example, it is now commonly asserted that Saint Brigid was based on the Celtic goddess Brigid. The goddess was popular long before Christianity reached Ireland. Another possibility is the melding of the actual life of the Saint with myths related to pre-Christian gods and heroes (see Comparative religion). There are some striking parallels to the events portrayed in the lives of certain saints and fables such as Androcles and the Lion.
Definition specific to religion
Christianity
Roman Catholicism
In the Roman Catholic church, the title of Saint - with a capital 'S' - refers to a person who has been formally canonized (officially recognized) by the Church. Formal Canonization is a lengthy process often taking many years, even centuries. The process includes a thorough investigation of the individual who has been put forth as a candidate for Sainthood. This investigation typically is concerned with examining and confirming (or disproving) any number of visions or miracles that may have been attributed to the person in question, or of the general holiness or specific good deeds that he or she may have done while alive. It should be noted, however, that the Church places special weight on those miracles or instances of intercession that happened after the individual died and which are seen to be demonstrative of the Saint's continued special relationship with God after death. Also, by this definition there are many people believed to be in heaven who have not been formally declared as Saints (most typically due to their obscurity and the involved process of formal canonization) but who may nevertheless generically be referred to as saints (lowercase 's').
Eastern Orthodoxy
In the Eastern Orthodox Church a Saint is defined as anyone who is in Heaven, whether recognized here on earth, or not. By this definition, Adam and Eve, Moses, the various Prophets, the Angels and Archangels are all given the title of "Saint".
The Orthodox believe that God reveals his Saints to us, often by answered prayers and other miracles. For the Orthodox, the formal recognition of a Saint often happens many years after they have been recognized by a localized community. There are numerous small local followings of countless saints that have not yet been recognized by the entire Orthodox church. It should be re-emphasized that such recognition is not necessary anyway, a Saint revealed even on a small scale is still a saint. There are, however, often cases where God reveals His saint on a much larger scale, even a world wide scale. In such cases, after a careful process of deliberation by a synod of Bishops, there is a formal service of Glorification in which a Saint is given a day on the church calendar to be celebrated by the entire church.
Such was the case with the sainthood of Tsar Nicholas II of Russia and his family. At first the members of the Royal family were recognized as martyrs by the Russian Orthodox Church Abroad in 1981, after which many believers in Russia began to pray to the Tsar and his family. Miracles were reported, including one miraculous icon which prompted an immediate local glorification. In 2000, the Tsar and his family were officially Glorified by the Russian Orthodox Church.
It is believed that one of the ways in which God reveals the holiness (saintliness) of a person can be the unusual and supposedly miraculous condition of their relics (remains). In Orthodox countries it is often the custom to re-use graves after 3 to 5 years because of the limited space. Bones are respectfully washed and placed in an ossuary, often with the person's name written on the skull. Occasionally when a body is exhumed something 'miraculous' occurs. There have been numerous occurrences where the exhumed bones are reported to have suddenly given off a wonderful fragrance, like flowers; or sometimes the body remains whole and free of decay, just as it was on the day the person died, despite having not been embalmed (traditionally the Orthodox do not embalm the dead) and having been buried for 3-5 years in the earth.
The reason relics are considered sacred is because, for the Orthodox, the separation of body and soul is unnatural. Body and soul both comprise the person, and in the end, body and soul will be reunited; therefore, the body of a saint shares in the “Holiness” of the soul of the saint. 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. Every altar in every Orthodox church contains relics, usually of martyrs. The Church building interiors are covered with the Icons of saints.
Because the Church shows no true distinction between the living and the dead (the Saints are alive in Heaven), the Orthodox treat the saints as if they were still here. They venerate them and ask for their prayers, and consider them brothers and sisters in Christ Jesus. Saints are venerated and loved and asked to intercede for our salvation, but it should be clearly understood that they are not Worshiped; but rather are treated with the natural respect due anyone who has fought the good fight and won. This places the saints in a position where they can help mankind through their direct communion with God, through their intersession for our salvation, and even occasionally with their direct interaction. It is believed that many saints have appeared in order to assist people in time of need.
Traditionally, when a person is baptized in the Orthodox Church, because that person is "born again" and is a new person, he or she is given a new name, always the name of a saint. It is common that regardless of the name a person was born with, the person begins to use his saints name as his own exclusively. This saint becomes one's personal patron, and instead of a birthday, the newly baptized celebrates his saint's day with far more significance.
Anglicanism
In the Anglican Church, the title of Saint - with a capital 'S' - refers to a person who has been elevated by polular opinion as a pious and holy person. Saints are asked to intercede with the Lord Christ. The honor given to saints is fundamentally distinct from the worship given to God. The Church calls the worship due to God "latria", and the honor due to saints "dulia". In honoring the saints, the faithful give glory to God, in the same sense in which one gives glory to an artist by admiring his handiwork. 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, and just as believers may ask their fellow brothers and sisters on earth for intercessory prayer, the prayers of the saints in heaven can be requested as well.
Once a person has been declared a Saint, the body of the Saint is considered holy. In past centuries, the remains of Saints were distributed as holy artifacts. In modern times, however, there is a growing trend to respect the body of a Saint, leaving it alone and buried. Some of the saints have a symbol that represents their life.
Protestantism
In many Protestant churches, the word is used more generally to refer to anyone who is a Christian. This is similar in usage to St. Paul's numerous references. In this sense, anyone who is within the Body of Christ (a born-again believer) is “Holy” because of their relationship with Jesus. However, high-church Anglicans and Episcopalians use the term "saint" similarly to the manner in which Catholics use it.
- See also: Priesthood of all believers
Latter-day Saints
Members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints belief is similar to the Protestant tradition described above. In the New Testament the saints are all those who by baptism have entered into the Christian covenant. Therefore members refer to themselves as "Latter-day Saints", or simply "Saints". This is usually preferred over the nickname "Mormons".
Islam
Islam has, traditionally, had a central place for saints within its cosmology and saints [Arabic: awliya--literally, Friends of Allah (singular: wali)] are mentioned in verses of the Qur'an. Although there is no formal canonization process in Islam, there do exist traditions of the Prophet (hadith) and sayings of the scholars of Islam about what the qualities of a true saint are. These include soundness of faith (aqidah), a strict adherence to the Prophetic traditions (sunnah) and Shar'iah Law, an upright moral character, the performance of charismatic marvels (Ar.: karamat) and, crucially, the acknowledgment by consensus of the orthodox that such and such a person is a saint. i.e. if the Muslim masses consider someone a Saint, he or she is one. Theoretically too a saint is said to have the ability to perform any miracle which the Prophet performed and there is also a spiritual hierarchy of saints in Islam with the Qutb or Ghawth (Pole or Succour) at the apex. This hierrarchy is detailed in the work of the great Andalusian Sufi Muhyuddin Ibn al-Arabi, who is considered one of the great Saints of Islam, as well as many others. Indeed, amongst orthodox, traditional, Muslims, those referred to as [Sufis] by Orientalist scholars of Islam are considered Saints and the two terms are virtually synonyms. Traditionally, the veneration of saints and tombs or shrines in Islam is very widespread and includes all geographical areas of the Muslim world, including the conservative Arabian peninsula. Saints are believed to have a power of intercession with God (Allah), and thus the ability to perform miracles and to give power or blessings known as baraka.
In most Muslim countries there are religious festivities associated with saints, such as Urs festivals in India and Pakistan or the annual Mawlid in Egypt. A great Urs is yearly held in the valley of MohraSharif where great saints still live. On these days, the local saint(s) is/are venerated, and blessings are expected. Believers are nevertheless careful to distinguish between the blessings of the prophets (particularly Moses, Jesus and Muhammad) and those of the saints.
Saints are an important component of popular Islam and are associated with Sufism, which includes many of the mystical branches of Islam. Sufism has several orders with precepts (tarika) for students (murid) who seek to follow the teachings of a saint. Although saints are acknowledged by many sufis, Sufism distances itself from the more animistic and cultic aspects of the veneration of saints, which includes, as in popular Christianity, all types of religious paraphernalia and popular rituals.
Judaism
The closest notion in Judaism is the tzadik, a righteous person. The Talmud says that at any time at least 36 tzaddikim are living among us: they are anonymous, but it is for their sake that the world is not destroyed. The Talmud and the Kabbalah offer various ideas about the nature and role of these 36 tzaddikim. The term can also be used generically to mean any righteous or saintly person.
Hinduism
Saints are also recognized in Hinduism. However, unlike the Roman Catholic Church, no formal process is required to acknowledge a person as a saint.
- Jagadguru Kripaluji Maharaj, the founder of the Jagadguru Kripalu Parishat, an organization which propagates Raganuga Bhakti, a form of selfless devotional practise and loving service to Radha Rani and Lord Krishna
- Raghavendra Swami, one of the most famous Hindu saints was believed to have performed miracles during his lifetime and continues to bless his devotees. He espoused Vaishnavism monotheism (worship of Vishnu as Supreme God) and Dvaita philosophy.
- Chandrashekarendra Saraswati (Sage of Kanchi) (1894-1994) Jagadguru Sankaracharya of Kanchi Kamakoti Peetham. Revered by many as an avatara of Adi Sankara [2]
- Akkalkot Niwasi Shree Swami Samarth (around 1275 A.D) considered to be the Guru of Great Saints, supposed to be the direct manifestation of the supreme power - God.
- Shirdi Sai Baba (c. 1838 - October 15, 1918) was an Indian fakir/guru who is regarded by his Hindu and Muslim followers as a saint.
- Sant Shiri Nunuram Sahib (1898 - 1973), a great saint whose aashram is situated in Islamkot city of Sindh Province in Pakistan.[3]
- Paramahansa Yogananda (January 5, 1893 – March 7, 1952), a modern day saint who brought the spiritual science of Kriya Yoga to the west, successfully disseminating eastern wisdom all over North America and Europe, and personally initiating many thousands of spiritual aspirants. Disciple of Sri Yukteswar Giri.
See also sant and Hindu Gurus and Saints
Buddhism
The Dhamma or path of purification as outlined by the Buddha leads the disciple eventually to the status of an ariya, a noble-hearted person, of which there are four levels of increasing sanctity and holiness. These are, sotapanna or ‘stream-winner’; sakadagami or ‘once-returner’; anagami or ‘non-returner’; and finally arahant or ‘Holy One’ – a human being who is free from all defilements. Arahant is synonymous with Buddha, a fully enlightened human being, and is frequently used as an epithet of the Buddha Gotama in the liturgy of Southern Buddhism. An arahant may be considered as both a saint and a gnani or Gnostic; somebody who possesses transcendental spiritual knowledge.
In the development of Mahayana Buddhism the arhat ideal as the goal of the religious life was replaced with that of the Bodhisattva.
Other religions
In many of the more obscure religions of the world, a saint is a man or a woman who has a direct personal link or connection with God and who can put a person on the way back to God. Many gurus overtly or covertly claim to be saints, which followers may believe to be true, even if the objective evidence doesn't match a formal definition of a saint.
Santeria - Voodoo
The veneration of Catholic saints forms the basis of the Cuban Santería religion. In Santería, saints are syncretised with Yoruban deities, and are equally worshipped in churches (where they appear as saints) and in Santería religious festivities, where they appear as deities (orishas); however, this practice is condemned by the Roman Catholic Church.
Santeria, Haitian Vodoun, Brazilian Umbanda and other similar religions adopted the Roman Catholic Saints, or the images of the saints, as representations of their own spirits/deities or 'Orishas' in Santeria and 'Lwa' in Vodoun. Although there are many similarities between Vodoun and Santeria, they are different in respect to origin and language (Vodou is French, Santeria is Spanish). The adoption of Catholic Saints was fairly common in the religions that were adapted by the slaves in the New World. It can be understood as a more recent example of the absorption of pre-Christian elements into European "Catholicism" — although with Santeria and Vodoun the native religion seems to be more dominant. Different regions of the world where Catholicism is practiced have varying ways of practicing their faith.
The Catholic Church has not always condemned the practices of these "religions" or sub-sects (although there were brief local movements against Vodoun by the Church in Haiti). Perhaps the adoption of the Catholic saints is more of a testament to the durability and adaptability of religions like Vodoun. It is remarkable that Vodoun practitioners can consider themselves Catholic and Vodounists at the same time. Perhaps it is more realistic to say that elements of Catholicism were adapted into Vodoun and Santeria.
Bibliography
- 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.
- Hein, David. "Saints: Holy, Not Tame." Sewanee Theological Review 49 (2006): 204-17.
- Hein, David. "Farrer on Friendship, Sainthood, and the Will of God." In Captured by the Crucified: The Practical Theology of Austin Farrer. Edited by David Hein and Edward Hugh Henderson. New York and London: T & T Clark / Continuum, 2004. 119-48.
- Perham, Michael. The Communion of Saints. London: Alcuin Club / SPCK, 1980.
- Woodward, Kenneth L. Making Saints. New York: Simon & Schuster, 1996.
See also
- Calendar of saints
- Communion of Saints
- Congregation for the Causes of Saints
- List of saints
- Patron saint
- Intercession of saints
- Secular saint
- Hagiology
- Symbology of the Saintscs:Svatý
de:Heiliger et:Pühak es:Santo eo:Listo de sanktuloj fr:Saint he:קדוש נוצרי ko:성인 id:Santo it:Santo la:Sanctus nl:Heilige nrm:Saint ja:聖人 pl:Święty pt:Santo sl:Svetnik fi:Pyhimys sv:Helgon tl:Santo th:นักบุญ zh:圣人