Sainthood

Sainthood is the status accorded to individuals regarded as holy or especially virtuous within a religious tradition. In Christianity, saints are typically those whose lives are believed to reflect the presence of the sacred in the world, and who are venerated or honored in prayer, feast days, and devotional practices.

In the Catholic Church, sainthood is formalized through a canonical process. A local inquiry examines the candidate’s life; if heroic virtue or martyrdom is confirmed, the candidate may be beatified, usually after a verified miracle; full canonization by the pope follows another miracle and publicly proclaims the saint.

In the Eastern Orthodox Church, sainthood is approved by a synod or church council and is often adopted locally before wider recognition. Saints are commemorated in the liturgical calendar, venerated in icons, and honored with relics and feast days; martyrdom and monastic sanctity are common routes to recognition.

In Anglicanism, the veneration of saints exists within liturgy and calendars but without a single, universal canonization authority. Recognition varies by province, though early church patriarchs and English saints are widely honored, and saints are invoked as patrons and intercessors within tradition.

Across traditions, sainthood serves as a model of virtue, a focus for prayer and patronage, and a reminder of the church's belief in the communion of saints—believers on earth sharing in the holiness of those in heaven.