Veneration

The veneration of saints is the worship of individuals, of whom it is believed that they were called to holiness and who have led a holy life, meets or exceeds the criteria for canonization by a community of faith.

Forms of veneration of saints there is within Christianity in the Catholic Church, the Eastern Churches in the Anglican Church and in some Protestant denominations; Moreover, also in Hinduism and Buddhism, Islam and Judaism.

Christianity

Bible

Direct evidence for the veneration of saints in the Church's understanding of today there is not. In the New Testament is almost always spoken by people as " saints" in the majority (with the exception of John the Baptist as a " holy man ", Mark 6:20). Christians are all called as such for example the Apostle Paul writes, " to the saints in Rome" (Romans 1:7).

Some scriptures - but do not use the term "saints" - be used as evidence of the veneration of saints, about 1 Cor 12:26 ("if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it " ), Heb 13.7 ( "Think to your leaders, those who spoke to you the word of God looks at the end of their life, and imitate their faith " ), Rev. 6.9 ( " the souls of all those who had been slain because of the word of God and for the testimony they had filed ").

Catholic and Orthodox church

The veneration of saints (Latin veneratio, also Dulia, Greek δουλεία, douleia ) is in the Catholic and the Orthodox Church the solemn ceremony of a person and thus the glory of God himself, who created the "holy " person ( in his likeness ), in adopted grace richly rewarded with charisms and completed after the end of her earthly life with him. The worship of God's grace, which is seen realized in the saints is brought often appeared to be in a form of respectful tribute to a holy picture ( icon ) or a relic expressed, normally associated with the sign of the cross; a kiss the icon or relic, a mutual " kiss of peace " or some other culturally appropriate way of showing honor and respect may take place. A kind of worship is also the relics procession. A duty to the veneration of saints do not exist in the Catholic Church. The veneration of saints is closely linked with the concept of the communion of saints, the witness all Christians in the Apostles' Creed.

Saints have a day of remembrance in general or regional liturgical calendar. In general, it is of her death ( "Birthday in heaven "). On this day of, or the saints in the liturgical texts of the Mass and Liturgy of the Hours is intended. The many unknown or unrecognized saints does the Church on the Solemnity of All Saints.

Also places ( churches, mountains, springs ), and devotional times ( Holidays, fasts ) can be regarded as " holy " as to them or through them God honor is proved. All Christian churches, whether they practice veneration of saints or not, continue to believe that worship is reserved for God alone.

Lutheran Churches

The term " saint worship " can be very broad, so the differences must be noted: The honorable memory of the work of extraordinary people met hardly objections. The Lutheran Church is committed to the Augsburg Confession to commemorate the saints. In Article 21 it is stated that the faith will be strengthened if the church sees how God has shown grace to the saints. In the good works of the saints, the Church today is to take an example. An invocation of saints but was rejected today, " because there is only one mediator and reconciler set between God and man, Jesus Christ (1 Tim 2:5 )" ( Article 21 of the Augsburg Confession ). The Independent Evangelical Lutheran Church commemorates the saints on November 1, the day of remembrance of the saints.

Protestant criticism

Criticism of the veneration of saints there, especially in the Protestant area. There, it is emphasized that to be holy as people in general never worshiped in a way that similarities exist to worship God. Catholic theology distinguishes correct that Holy should in no way be worshiped, but merely called to intercede with God. The actual practice encounters in the Protestant area but often criticized. Critics such as Wycliffe, Martin Luther or John Calvin saw through the invocation of saints affects the trust in Jesus Christ as the only mediator between God and man (1 Tim 2:5 EU) as a mediator to God.