Saints (formerly NP not my anti-Catholicism)

[Tim Strzechowski]

> Terrance wrote:
>
> > BTW, why do the catholics do this, make people saints?
> > Do other religions do it?
> > Something like it?
> > What are the rules?
> > How does it happen?
> > Must be lots of politics, but there must be some rules. I mean,
> > can a great sinner be made a great saint? are there certain sins that
> > once committed bar an individual from being blessed by the church or
> > made worthy of public/religious veneration, being made a saint?
> >



from Charles Panati, _Sacred Origins of Profound Things: The Stories Behind
the Rites and Rituals of the World's Religions_. New York: Penguin, 1996.

Chapter 14: Saints (pp. 235 - 283):

"Contrary to popular belief, Christianity, and the Roman Catholic Church in
particular, does not have a monopoly on saints.  It just seems that way.
Primarily because of saints like Patrick and his feast day revelry, and
Nicholas (aka Santa claus) and the associated seasonal debt incurred.  In
the pantheon of popularity piety such saints eclipse other contenders;
especially those from other faiths.  [...]

"All world religions embrace the concept of sainthood; that is, the personal
attribute of holiness spilling over into a special relationship with the
sacred sphere.  Many religions, East and West, venerate individual saints,
as well as their mortal remains or relics. [...]

"Some religions, like the Roman Catholic Church, have been accused of
promoting a cultus (Latin for a religious cult) of saints, since the faith's
pantheon of canonized martyrs, mystics, and visionaries is so densely
populated -- and so popular." [...]

The chapter then goes on to catalog the various saints in Eastern and
Western religions, including the 5th century b.c.e. Greek hero (as a model
for Christian saints), Jewish saints ("pious ones"), Chinese saints (chen
jen), Japanese saints (kami), Buddhist saints (bodhisattvas), Hindu saints
(sadhus), Islamic saints (wali), and the various and sundry "types" of
Christian saints (prophets, mystics, martyrs, patron saints, etc.).

This is a pretty good book that I've used as a quick reference for many a
question over the past few years, and it includes a look at Original Sin
(Paul M would like that!).  It's also a good book if you're studying
religious trivia for that upcoming "Jeopardy" try-out.

Tim