Saints & the Theotokos
63 writings in Saints & the Theotokos. Clear
Saints & the Theotokos
How does someone become a saint?
They already are one. That’s the first thing to understand. In the Orthodox Church, every baptized Christian is a saint in the biblical sense. St.…
Saints & the Theotokos
What is canonization?
Canonization is the Church’s official recognition that someone is a saint. It doesn’t make them holy, they already are. The Church is simply saying publicly…
Saints & the Theotokos
What is glorification?
Glorification is the Church’s formal recognition that someone is a saint. It’s what Catholics call canonization, but we approach it differently. When the Orthodox Church…
Saints & the Theotokos
Who decides if someone is a saint?
The Church does. More specifically, a bishop or a Holy Synod formally recognizes what the faithful have already seen, that someone lived in Christ and…
Saints & the Theotokos
What are relics?
Relics are the physical remains of saints, their bones, hair, or clothing, that the Church preserves and venerates. They’re not good luck charms. They’re not…
Saints & the Theotokos
Why do Orthodox venerate relics?
We venerate relics because the bodies of the saints remain holy after death. The Holy Spirit dwelt in them during life, and that holiness doesn’t…
Saints & the Theotokos
What does the Bible say about relics?
The Bible’s full of stories where God works miracles through physical objects connected to holy people. If you come from a Baptist or non-denominational background…
Saints & the Theotokos
Why are relics placed in the altar?
Because the early Church celebrated the Eucharist on the tombs of martyrs, and we still do. Every Orthodox altar contains relics of a martyr, usually…
Saints & the Theotokos
What is an antimension?
An antimension is a consecrated cloth that sits on the altar and contains a saint’s relic. Without it, a priest can’t celebrate the Divine Liturgy.…
Saints & the Theotokos
Are there different types of saints?
Yes, the Orthodox Church recognizes different categories of saints based on how they lived and witnessed to Christ. But the categories aren’t ranks or levels.…
Saints & the Theotokos
What is a martyr?
A martyr is someone who dies for Christ rather than deny him. The word itself means “witness” in Greek. That’s what a martyr does, bears…
Saints & the Theotokos
What is a confessor?
A confessor is a saint who suffered for the faith but wasn’t killed for it. When we say someone is a confessor, we mean they…
