Saint

A **saint** is a holy person. In many religions, saints are people who are believed to be sacred.

In Christianity, the word "saint" refers to any person who is "in Christ", and in whom Christ dwells, whether in Heaven or in earth.

In the Christian Bible, not only one person is actually called a saint: "They envied Moses also in the camp, and Aaron the saint of the LORD." () The  Paul called himself "less than the least of all saints" in .
Paul's 2nd letter to the Corinthian Church speaks of ...all the saints in Achaia 
.
Also to the saints in Ephesus as well as to all the saints in Christ Jesus at Philippi

## General characteristics
Many religions use the "saint" idea to honor people, like Hindu saints. If a person is considered a saint, no matter what religion they belong to, they are usually:
# A very good person
# A very good teacher
# Able to work miracles
# Able to pray on behalf of believers
# Living without many material things or comforts
# Knowledgeable about holy things

## Christianity 
### Anglicanism 
In the Anglican Communion and the Continuing Anglican movement, a Saint is a person who has been elevated by popular opinion as a holy person. The saints are seen as models of holiness to be followed, and as a 'cloud of witnesses' that strengthen and encourage the believer during his or her spiritual journey (). Official Anglican policy recognizes the existence of the saints in heaven.

### Eastern Orthodoxy 
In the Eastern Orthodox Church a saint is defined as anyone who is in Heaven, whether recognized here on earth, or not.  Therefore members are often referred to as "Latter-day Saints" or "LDS", and among themselves as "Saints".

### Oriental Orthodox 
The Syriac Orthodox, Coptic Orthodox Church of Alexandria, Ethiopian Orthodox, Eritrean Orthodox, Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church and Armenian Apostolic Church do accept the existence of saints, but officially recognize them in their own ways.  For example, the Pope of the Coptic Orthodox Church of Alexandria canonizes saints, through the approval of that church's Holy Synod. A requirement of the Coptic Orthodox faith is that at least 50 years must pass from a saint's death to his canonization, and the Coptic Orthodox Pope must follow that rule.

### Other Christian groups 
There are some groups who do not accept the idea of the Communion of Saints. Some believe all of the departed are in soul sleep until the final resurrection on Judgment Day. Others believe that the departed go to either Paradise or Tartarus, to await the day in which the living and the dead are judged. Certain groups do not believe that the departed have any connection with the living.

### Protestantism 
In many Protestant churches, the word "saint" is used more generally to refer to anyone who is a Christian. This is similar to Paul's numerous references in the New Testament of the Bible. In this way, anyone who is within the Body of Christ (any Christian) is a 'saint' because of their relationship with Christ Jesus. Many Protestants consider prayers to the saints to be idolatry because they believe prayers should be given only to God himself.

### Roman Catholicism 
One Roman Catholic website says that "There are over 10,000 named saints and beatified people from history, the Roman Martyrology and Orthodox sources, but no definitive head count".

Rev. Alban Butler published *Lives of the Saints* in 1756, containing 1,486 saints. The latest edition of this work contains the lives of 2,565 saints. Monsignor Robert Sarno, an official of Vatican's Congregation for the Causes of Saints, said it is impossible to say the exact number of saints.

The Catholic Church teaches that it does not make anyone into a saint. Instead, it recognizes a saint. In the Church, the title of Saint refers to a person who has been canonized (officially recognized) by the Catholic Church, and is therefore believed to be in Heaven.

Because the Church believes all people in Heaven are saints, there are many people believed to be in Heaven who have not been officially declared as saints. Sometimes the word "saint" is used to refer to Christians still living here on earth. Saints can be asked for help, just as one can ask someone on earth to pray for them.

A saint may be a patron saint of a cause or profession, or invoked against specific illnesses or disasters, sometimes by popular custom and sometimes by official statements of the Magisterium. Saints are not thought to have power of their own, but only that granted by God.

#### Becoming a Saint
A person who is seen as very holy can be declared a saint by a formal process, called canonization.  Formal canonization is a lengthy process often taking many years, even centuries. The first step in this process is an investigation of the candidate's life, undertaken by an expert. After this, the report on the candidate is given to the bishop of the area and more studying is done. It is then sent to the Congregation for the Causes of Saints in Rome. Further investigations may lead to the candidate's beatification and given title of "Blessed". The remains of saints are called holy relics and are usually used in churches. Saints' personal belongings may also be used as relics.

Unlike Prophets and Messengers, the *awliya* can be either male and female. One of the best known female saints is Rabi`a al-Adawiyya.

It is widely regarded in Islam that the saints of saints is Ali Ibn Abi Talib the cousin of Muhammad all Sufi orders originate through his teachings. In addition all saints regard him as their champion 'The Saints of Saints'

In Sufism, the major *wali* are considered to have been masters in the art of spiritual purification.  Some groups within Islam hold the Hadrat (literally, Presence, a title of Sufi saints) in esteem.

### Judaism 
The word *Tzadik* "righteous", and its associated meanings, developed in Rabbinic thought from its Talmudic contrast with *Hasid* ("Pious" honorific), to its exploration in Ethical literature, and its spiritualisation in Kabbalah. In Hasidic Judaism, the institution of the Tzadik assumed central importance.

### Sikhism 
The concept of sant or bhagat is found in North Indian religious thought including Sikhism. Figures such as Kabir, Ravidas, Nanak, and others are widely regarded as belonging to the Sant tradition. Some of their mystical compositions are incorporated in the Guru Granth Sahib. The term "Sant" is still sometimes loosely applied to living individuals in the Sikh and related communities.

## Related pages
* All Saints' Day
* Icon
* Patron saint

## References
### Notes
### Bibliography
* Beyer, Jürgen, et al., eds. *Confessional sanctity (c. 1550 - c. 1800)*. Mainz: Philipp von Zabern, 2003.
*Bruhn, Siglind. *Saints in the Limelight: Representations of the Religious Quest on the Post-1945 Operatic Stage*. Hillsdale, New York: Pendragon Press, 2003. .
* Cunningham, Lawrence S. *The Meaning of Saints*. San Francisco: Harper & Row, 1980.
* Hawley, John Stratton, ed. *Saints and Virtues*. Berkeley: University of California Press, 1987.
* Jean-Luc Deuffic (éd.), ''Reliques et sainteté dans l'espace médiéval'' http://perso.orange.fr/pecia/Revue%208-11%20bis.htm
* O'Malley, Vincent J. "Ordinary Suffering of Extraordinary Saints", 1999. 
* Perham, Michael. *The Communion of Saints*. London: Alcuin Club / SPCK, 1980.
* Watchtower Bible and Tract Society. *Insight on the Scriptures: Volume 1*. Brooklyn,:  Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society, 1988.
* Woodward, Kenneth L. *Making Saints*. New York: Simon & Schuster, 1996.

## Other websites
* Inspirational Quotes from the Saints
* Today's Saints on the Calendar
* http://www.oodegr.com/english/istorika/britain/British_saints.htm
* Biographies of Saints and Gurus in the Indian Tradition