When Did the Church Begin to Honor Saints?

07-07-2019Why do we do that?

Many people think that honoring saints was something the Church set up later, but it was part of Christianity from the very beginning. As a matter of fact, this practice came from a long-standing tradition in the Jewish faith of honoring prophets and holy people with shrines. The Church began to honor saints by AD 100. The first saints were martyrs, people who had given up their lives for the faith because of the persecution of Christians.

How Does the Church Choose Saints to Honor?

At first, saints were recognized by popular acclaim. This was very democratic, but it led to problems. Some people honored saints who were only legends or made up stories about saints. So, by the tenth century, the bishops and pope took over the authority for approving saints. The procedure the Church uses to name a saint is called canonization.

The canonization process begins after the death of a Catholic who has been considered holy. To be canonized, the candidate's life is examined for heroic virtue or martyrdom, orthodoxy of doctrine, and reputation for holiness. Also, there needs to be evidence of miracles that have taken place after the candidate's death as a result of a specific request to the saint for help. These miracles are considered proof that the person is in heaven and can intercede for us.

The title of saint tells us that the person lived a holy life, is in heaven, and is to be honored by the universal Church. But it is important to remember that canonization does not “make” a person a saint. It only recognizes what God has already done. Canonization is also a lengthy, difficult process. So, while every canonized saint is holy, not every holy person has been canonized.

May we be open to God making us saints!

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