Saint

In traditional Christian iconography, the sanctity of holy figures is often represented with a glowing nimbus or halo.

Saint is a term used to refer to someone who is a holy person. The term comes from the New Testament, where it is used to refer to all Christian believers. Over the years the term has grown to be used and accepted in other Christian, religious, and even secular contexts, to refer to those who are considered to be exceptionally virtuous or glorified in heaven. Hence a "saint" (cont. with sinner) is a (usually deceased) person whose life is regarded by a community as a good example, and their life story is remembered for sake of inspiring others.

Abbreviation for the term Saint is usually “St.” or “St”; in cases where multiple Saints are referenced SS. is the norm.

Etymology

The term saint is derived from the Latin word "sanctus" meaning "holy" or "consecrated". 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.

Christianity

Roman Catholicism

Statues of Saints

It is important to note that Saints are not "worshipped" according to strict Christian terminology. Worship is reserved for God alone, whereas Saints are venerated (see veneration), respected, and viewed as role models.

The older term for saint is martyr, meaning witness, or more specifically, witness for God. However, as the word martyr took on more and more the meaning of "one who died for the Faith," the term saint, meaning holy, became more common to describe the whole of Christian witnesses, both martyrs and confessors. The Catholic Church teaches that it does not, in fact, make anyone a saint. Rather, it recognizes a saint. 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. This particular form of recognition formally allows the person so canonized to be listed in the official Litany of the Saints during Mass. Formal canonization is a lengthy process often taking many years, even centuries. The process includes a thorough investigation of the candidate for Sainthood. This investigation examines and confirms (or disproves) any number of visions or miracles attributed to candidate, or of the general holiness or specific good deeds that he or she may have done while alive. The Church, however, places special weight on those miracles or instances of intercession that happened after the individual died and which are seen to demonstrate 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'). Anyone in heaven is, in the untechnical sense, a saint. Unofficial devotions to thus far non-canonized saints do exist in certain regions.

The veneration of saints, in Latin, cultus, or the cult of the saints, describes a particular popular devotion to the saints. Although the term "worship" is often used, it is meant in the old sense meaning to honor or give respect (dulia). Divine Worship properly reserved only for God (latria) is never given to the Saints. In Roman Catholic theology, since God is the God of the Living, then it follows that the saints are alive in Heaven. As "special friends of God," they can be asked to intercede or pray for those still on earth. A Saint may be designated as a Patron saint of particular causes or professions, or invoked against specific illnesses or disasters. They are not thought to have power of their own, but only that granted by God. Relics of Saints are respected in a similar manner to holy images and icons of Saints.

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.

Ahistorical saints

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.

Eastern Orthodox

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".

Orthodox belief considers that God reveals his Saints through answered prayers and other miracles. The formal recognition of Saints can happen after they have already been recognized by local communities. Many local saints are not recognized by the entire Orthodox church. The formal process of recognition involves deliberation by a synod of Bishops. If 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.

This was the case with the sainthood of Tsar Nicholas II of Russia and his family. The members of the Royal family were recognized as martyrs by the Russian Orthodox Church Abroad in 1981. Believers in Russia began to pray to the Tsar and his family. Miracles were reported, including a '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 the holiness (saintliness) of a person is revealed is through the condition of their relics (remains). In some Orthodox countries (such as Greece, but not in Russia) graves are often reused after 3 to 5 years because of limited space. Bones are washed and placed in an ossuary, often with the person's name written on the skull. Occasionally when a body is exhumed something miraculous is reported as having occurred; exhumed bones are claimed to have given off a fragrance, like flowers, or a body is reported as having remained free of decay, despite not having been embalmed (traditionally the Orthodox do not embalm the dead) and having been buried for some 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. Church interiors are covered with the Icons of saints.

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

When a person is baptized in the Orthodox Church, he or she is given a new name, always the name of a saint. Regardless of the name a person was born with, the person begins to use his saint's name as his own during Communion. This saint becomes one's personal patron, and his saint's day is also celebrated as a personal holiday.

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 Paul of Tarsus'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. A number of Protestant Churches believe that the dead will not rise until the Last Judgment, so they do not accept the Catholic/Orthodox belief that saints are in heaven. Indeed some consider prayers to the saints to be idolatry or necromancy. However, high-church Anglicans and Episcopalians use the term "saint" similarly to the manner in which other Catholics use it.

Anglicanism

Main article: Saints in Anglicanism

In the Anglican Church, the title of Saint - with a capital 'S' - refers to a person who has been elevated by popular opinion as a pious and holy person. Some Anglicans ask Saints to intercede with the Lord Christ. In invoking the saints, the faithful are thought to give glory to God. 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 it is reasoned that just as believers may ask their living brothers and sisters on earth for intercessory prayer, the prayers of the saints thought to be in heaven can be requested as well. The practice, however, is forbidden by Article XXII of Anglicanism's Articles of Religion as being without Biblical foundation.

Latter-day Saints

The beliefs of members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints with regard to saints are similar to the Protestant tradition described above. In the New Testament the saints are all those who by immersion baptism have entered into the Christian covenant. Therefore members refer to themselves as "Latter-day Saints", or simply "Saints", most often among themselves.

Sainthood in a Comparative Perspective

It is common journalistic (or even scholarly) shorthand to refer to any ethically ideal (or idealized) human being as a "saint," regardless of their tradition of origin. This is, in actuality, a questionable practice. As suggested by Clifford Geertz, we must acknowledge the context of figures, beliefs and practices before we can generalize about them or consider them in light of other cultural systems — and even then, those generalizations must be acknowledged as being both contingent and tenuous. In this light, we must note the undeniable early Christian context of the term "saint" and its related understanding of sanctity (including (but not limited to) such elements as sexual chasitity, posthumous efficacy, and unshakable devotion to God (even under pain of death)). As such, the purpose of this proviso is to highlight the fact that the figures identified and discussed below are only partially congruent with the Christian notion of sainthood introduced above. This means that, while these brief comparative mentions are sufficient to note the presence of some similarities, a deeper understanding of these holy figures will require a more in-depth analysis of the respective traditions from whence they emerged.

Islam

Traditionally, Islam has had a central place for awaliya [Arabic: literally, "Friends of Allah" (singular: wali)] within its cosmology; a traditon venerable enough that these figures are specifically mentioned in verses of the Qur'an. Although there is no formal canonization process in Islam, a typological schema for ascertaining sanctity has been derived from the traditions of the Prophet (hadith) and the sayings of the scholars of Islam. These revered qualities include soundness of faith (aqidah), an upright moral character, a strict adherence to the Prophetic traditions (sunnah) and to Shar'iah Law, the performance of charismatic marvels (karamat) and, most crucially, consensus of the faith community that the person is a saint. To put this final point more bluntly, if the Muslim masses consider someone a Saint, he or she is one.

The veneration of the awaliya, especially at their tombs or shrines, is a very widespread practice in Islam, and is common throughout the Muslim world, including the conservative Arabian peninsula. Saints are believed to have the power of intercession with God (Allah), which yields the ability to perform miracles and to give power or blessings (known as barakah). In most Muslim countries, there are religious festivities associated with these holy figures, such as the Urs festivals in India and Pakistan, and the annual Mawlid in Egypt. For example, a great Urs is held annually in the valley of MohraSharif, where great awaliya are still believed to live. During this festival, the local saints are venerated, with the expectation of future blessings. Believers are nevertheless careful to distinguish between the blessings of the prophets (particularly Moses, Jesus, and Muhammad) and those of the saints.

There is also a spiritual hierarchy of awaliya in Islam, with the Kutb or Ghawth at the apex. This hierarchy is described in detail in the work of the great Andalusian Sufi Muhyuddin Ibn Arabi, who is considered one of the great saints of Islam.

Finally, the awaliya 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 these holy exemplars. Although these figures are acknowledged by many sufis, Sufism distances itself from the more animistic and cultic aspects of the veneration of saints, which include, as in popular Christianity, all types of religious paraphernalia and popular rituals.

Judaism

The Jewish notion that most clearly resembles the Christian saint is the tzadik, or a "righteous one". 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.

This tradition is particularly vibrant in modern Morocco, where the veneration of tzaddikim remains an important part of overall religious adherence:

Veneration of saints plays a central role in Moroccan Jewish life and is an important component of their ethnic identity (Ben-Am 1984:207-13; Bilu 1984:44; Goldberg 1983:67). The tzaddik is a pious man, well versed in the Torah and kabbalistic studies, charismatic and spiritually compelling (Bilu:1984:44, 1987:285), deeply religious, honest, and innocent. As a saint, he possesses supernatural powers which enable him to influence events and people and to intercede with God on their behalf (Weingrod 1990:13). These powers do not fade when the saint dies and can continue to benefit his adherents (Bilu 1987:285). Among Moroccan Jews, faith in saints is strongly entwined with the Jewish mystical tradition and with the Maraboutistic element that characterizes North African Islam (Goldberg 1983:6768). However, unlike Islam, Jewish custom centered around the graves of deceased saints (Bilu 1987:285; Ben-Ami 1984:190), although there also were living saints in Morocco (Ben-Ami 1984:46-55). What differentiated these tzaddikim from ordinary mortals was their ability to perform miracles; to cure the sick, eliminate danger, protect, and rescue (Weingrod 1990:13-14). A person who had received a miracle often became the saint's "slave": that is, a special relationship developed between the saint and the "slave" who submitted completely to the saint and accepted his every pronouncement (Ben-Ami 1984:54-55) (Darin, 352-353).

Hinduism

Saints are recognized in Hinduism, although, like the Muslim tradition, they do not require canonization or similar formal process to be acknowledged as such. Generally a holy or saintly person is referred to as a mahatma, paramahamsa, or swami, or given the prefix Sri or Srila before their name.

Some examples of the variety of individuals accorded this particular honour:

• Jagadguru Mahaprabhu Shri Vallabhacharya, a great saint who was the follower of Vishnuswami Sampradaya. He proved the principle of "Shuddha Adwaita Brahmavada," meaning pure adwaita Brahmavada based on Veda. He showed the path of devotion to the world and taught that in this time of "Kaliyuga" self-less surrender to the lotus feet of Lord Krishna is the only thing a soul should do.
• Chaitanya Mahaprabhu (1486–1534), famous Bengali Saint known for his ecstatic devotion to Krishna. Original founder of the modern Hare Krishna movement.
• Jagadguru Kripalu Ji 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
• 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.
• 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.
• Shri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa
• Bhagawan Ramana Maharshi
• 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 C.E.) 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.
• Tukaram was a great saint who was believed to have performed miracles and was a devotee of Krishna.
• Sant Shiri Nunuram Sahib (1898–1973), a great saint whose aashram is situated in Islamkot city of Sindh Province in Pakistan.[3]

The "Sant" term is derived from the Sanskrit sat (सद) (truth, reality) has overlapping usages, its root meaning being "one who knows the truth" or "one who has experienced Ultimate Reality". It differs from the false cognate "Saint" as it is often translated. The term Sant has taken on the more general ethical meaning of "good person", but is assigned specifically to the poet-sants of medieval India.

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, Sotāpanna or ‘stream-winner’; Sakadāgāmī or ‘once-returner’; Anāgāmī or ‘non-returner’; and finally Arahant or ‘Worthy One’ – a human being who is free from all defilements. Arahants are those who attain Nibbāna. The term Buddha, is used for someone who rediscovers the four noble truths and teaches others about it. Arahant is frequently used as an epithet of Buddha Gotama and his students in the liturgy of Theravāda Buddhism.

In the development of Mahāyāna 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.

See also

Wikimedia Commons has media related to:

Saints

• Calendar of saints
• Catholic calendar of saints
• Communion of Saints
• Congregation for the Causes of Saints
• List of saints
• List of canonizations
• Martyrology
• Patron saint
• Intercession of saints
• Secular saint
• Hagiography
• Symbology of the Saints

Bibliography

• Cunningham, Lawrence S. The Meaning of Saints. San Francisco: Harper & Row, 1980.
• Daryn, Gil. "Moroccan Hassidism: the Chavrei Habakuk community and its Veneration of Saints." Ethnology 37(4), Fall 1998. 351-73.
• 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.
• Jean-Luc Deuffic (éd.), Reliques et sainteté dans l'espace médiéval [4]

References

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