Saints
The word “Saint” comes from the Latin sanctus, which means sacred. The saints of Christian tradition are exceptional men and women who managed to come close to God in their own lifetimes. For nearly 2000 years, they have been celebrated as the heroes of Christianity.
Every saint has a story, and there is a story and a saint for every human circumstance. Over centuries, the ranks of the saints have been swelled by people of all ages and both sexes and from all walks of life. Martin of Tours, a Roman officer’s son, was 80 when he died; 1000 years later, Joan of Arc, the daughter of peasants, was 19 when she was burned at the stake. The cults of 10000 saints have been identified by church historians, and thousands more have been forgotten. Not surprisingly, the most popular saints have the most memorable stories. In some cases, the story has been so embroidered over time that the real person who may have inspired it is quite lost. Saint Christopher, for example, is hard to locate in a historical time and place. Saint Patrick, by contrast, wrote the story of his life when he was an old man. He wanted to show that he was an ordinary person who did not deserve to be regarded as a saint, but his Confession reveals him as a brave and honest man who, against many odds, established Christianity among the pagan Irish.
In the days when few people could read, the stories or legends of the saints were read aloud on their feast days, the days on which they had died or been martyred. Particular saints were adopted as patrons by professions or places they had some special connection to.
According to the Catholic Church, the dead saints are with God in heaven. For the Orthodox Church, saints are ‘sleeping’ like the rest of the dead, but they can expect eternal life after the Day of Judgment. Both churches encourage devotion to the saints, the friends of God, to whom the faithful can appeal for spiritual help and for miracles. Their bodily remains or relics are treasured, and they are, with Jesus and Mary, a major source of inspiration for sculptors, painters, and icon-makers. After the Reformation in the 16th century, Christianity was divided in its attitude to the saints, but for all Christians they continue to be regarded as inspiring examples of godly living.
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