Given the criteria for sainthood, why are there so many saints?

[meltzerboy]

I am not sure this question is in the right forum. This may be a simple and/or silly question to ask, but I was wondering why there are so many saints in Catholicism? (I realize, however, there are not really so many compared to the overall Catholic population.) I suppose my larger question is whether the criteria for sainthood have always been the same, namely, the verification of two miracles, I believe, among other requirements? In particular, has it always been necessary that saints had to have performed two verifiable miracles?

 

[z_0101]

From my limited knowledge, the current requirements have only been around since the 10th century and then revised by St. JP2, prior to that many were chosen by public acclaim eventually leading to the more organized method with the bishops and Vatican being given the authority for approving saints.

In 1969, many of the early saints were reviewed and dropped from the universal calendar.

I’m sure that there is more to this than I am aware of…

 

[boomerang]

Martyrs are automatic saints, and there are lots of them.

 

[ILoveYeshua]

Martyrs are automatic saints, and there are lots of them.

Many saints are martyrs, but dying for the faith wouldn’t, say, wipe out any mortal sin by its own merit. Martyrdom is nonetheless very virtuous

 

[LilyM]

Something like 10,000 saints in 2,000 years.

5 per year on average.

Hardly a massive amount, surely, given sheer numbers of Catholics over time?

 

[psalm90]

Something like 10,000 saints in 2,000 years.

5 per year on average.

Hardly a massive amount, surely, given sheer numbers of Catholics over time?

We believe that there are many unrecognized or unacknowledged saints, as sainthood is the goal of Christian life. There’s always speculation about how many are “saved.”

The larger question is are all saints Catholics? The Church says probably not, because non-Christians can live holy lives too.

There’s a side-show aspect of canonization of saints, with the cottage industry of producing statues, holy cards, paintings, etc. as well as stimulating pilgrimages to the towns where the saints were born or lived.

The up-side of canonization is to inspire people to live virtuous lives and to show that it is possible to live up to (Judeo-)Christian values and principles.

In the Western Rite of the Catholic Church, we don’t seem to have “Old Testament” saints, like Abraham or Joseph or Moses, although I seem to recall that the Eastern Churches do recognize some of the OT personalities as saints.

To me, there seems to be a bias towards canonizing priests and nuns, and there are a lot of Italian saints. pope John Paul II canonized a lot of non-Italian people as saints, to quicken the faith in countries where some heroes and role models are needed.

 

[M-Dent]

I am not sure this question is in the right forum. This may be a simple and/or silly question to ask, but I was wondering why there are so many saints in Catholicism? (I realize, however, there are not really so many compared to the overall Catholic population.) I suppose my larger question is whether the criteria for sainthood have always been the same, namely, the verification of two miracles, I believe, among other requirements? In particular, has it always been necessary that saints had to have performed two verifiable miracles?

I also believe Martyrdom is one reason.

It may be worth noting, the first 9 centuries of the Church, the process for discerning a Saint was not as centrally organized as contemporary Church life. Often local communities venerated those who died as martyrs for the faith or identified some who lived an exemplary Christian life with extraordinary piety. In 993, Ulrich of Augsburg was the first recorded canonization by a Pope: Pope John XV. It was not until Pope Alexander III in 1170 that the process for canonization was formalized. Pope Sixtus V established the Congregation for the Causes of Saints in 1588.

Pope John Paul II did update the process of canonization, which included more responsibility to local bishops and altered the legal system surrounding the canonization process. The most Saints, 450 saints (more than all the popes since Trent combined) where canonized during his Papacy.

In 2006, Pope Benedict VXI addressed a Letter to the Congregation for the Causes of Saints marking an important distinction for Sainthood via Martyrdom;

It is of course necessary to find irrefutable proof of readiness for martyrdom, such as the outpouring of blood and of its acceptance by the victim. It is likewise necessary, directly or indirectly but always in a morally certain way, to ascertain the “odium Fidei” [hatred of the faith] of the persecutor. If this element is lacking there would be no true martyrdom according to the perennial theological and juridical doctrine of the Church. The concept of “martyrdom” as applied to the Saints and Blessed martyrs should be understood, in conformity with Benedict XIV’s teaching, as “voluntaria mortis perpessio sive tolerantia propter Fidem Christi, vel alium virtutis actum in Deum relatum” (De Servorum Dei beatificatione et Beatorum canonizatione, Prato 1839-1841, Book III, chap. 11, 1). This is the constant teaching of the Church.

ewtn.com/library/PAPALDOC/b16congsaints.htm

 

[PopePiusXIISupp]

It has not been the same. Before there was the Devil’s Advocate involved trying to delay the canonization by trying to disprove the person’s virtues (Faith, Hope, and Charity), and by showing fault in the person’s life such as if they had held onto a heresy. Here is links from wikipedia since there is so much I can post on here about this topic en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beatification_and_canonization_process_in_1914

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canonization (I tried to post on what it was since 1983, but it was 900 words over.)

 

[starlady88]

In some instances, the pope may also waive the required 2nd miracle, as was the case for Pope Saint John XXIII, although I believe that is not very common.

 

[Genesis315]

Pope John Paul II did update the process of canonization, which included more responsibility to local bishops and altered the legal system surrounding the canonization process. The most Saints, 450 saints (more than all the popes since Trent combined) where canonized during his Papacy.

Just to give a little context to the JPII number, he certainly did a lot (from what I’ve read, he tried to make sure there were saints from locales without one yet, so the people there would have special reminders of the supernatural and holiness), but the number is “inflated” a bit by the large scale martrydoms that are included, which have happened in more recent times.

It has not been the same. Before there was the Devil’s Advocate involved trying to delay the canonization by trying to disprove the person’s virtues (Faith, Hope, and Charity), and by showing fault in the person’s life such as if they had held onto a heresy.

There are still theological censors who review a proposed saint’s writings and adverse testimony is still sought, etc. There just isn’t a distinctly adversarial office for better or worse.

In some instances, the pope may also waive the required 2nd miracle, as was the case for Pope Saint John XXIII, although I believe that is not very common.

Pius XI also waived the miracle requirement for Sts. John Fisher and Thomas More when he canonized them (they had previously been considered beati based on their martyrdoms alone).

 

[Bookcat]

Given the criteria for sainthood, why are there so many saints?

The Holy Trinity.

 

[Kielbasi]

I am not sure this question is in the right forum. This may be a simple and/or silly question to ask, but I was wondering why there are so many saints in Catholicism?

Two reasons.

One, the church is very old and very large and has plenty of saintly people.

Two, recent popes have seen fit to prioritize the canonization process and get it moving a lot faster than it did in previous centuries. There is nothing dogmatic about the number of miracles required or the length of any canonization process.

 

[adamhovey1988]

And most are not even canonised!

 

[Bookcat]

Bonus:

Important aspect to note:

Saint Paul referred to Christians - as saints.

Christians on earth – who are living “in Christ” – are saints.

From the Catechism of the Catholic Church 823 :

"The Church, then, is “the holy People of God,” and her members are called “saints.”

And from Pope Benedict XVI:

“In his First Letter to the Corinthians, St Paul addresses “those sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints together with all those who in every place call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ” (I Cor 1: 2). Indeed, Christians are already saints because Baptism unites them to Jesus and to his Paschal Mystery…”

(and then discussing becoming --more holy --more conformed to Christ he continues…)

“…but at the same time they must become so by conforming themselves every more closely to him.”

Saint Paul uses the term ‘saint’ in various places to simply refer to Christians. Those living on earth…see his various letters.

“Sometimes, people think that holiness is a privileged condition reserved for the few elect. Actually, becoming holy is every Christian’s task… The Apostle writes that God has always blessed us and has chosen us in Christ “that we should be holy and blameless before him… in love” (Eph 1: 3-5). … The “Way” is Christ, the Son, the Holy One of God: “no one comes to the Father but by me [Jesus]” (cf. Jn 14: 6).”

~ Pope Benedict XVI 1 November 2007

Now over the centuries yes another use of the term saints developed. Saints has been yes used for those who have lived as saints in a heroic way (by the grace of God of course).

And yes later a process of canonization developed to recognize them, honor them and propose them as special models for the Christian faithful in following Christ.

Thus one can say there are saints and also Saints in the canonized sense or at least the recognized sense (they were recognized long before the process of canonization developed…especially Our Lady, the Apostles and Martyrs).

---

We are ‘saints’ via faith and baptism - via the death and resurrection of Jesus of Nazareth…via the Holy Spirit…and yes we are to become more and more so.

---

So when someone says to me “oh well I am not a saint” say “you better get to confession then” and the explain what I mean …

www.vatican.va

 

[Bookcat]

Bonus:

Important aspect to note:

Saint Paul referred to Christians - as saints.

Christians on earth – who are living “in Christ” – are saints.

From the Catechism of the Catholic Church 823 :

"The Church, then, is “the holy People of God,” and her members are called “saints.”

And from Pope Benedict XVI:

“In his First Letter to the Corinthians, St Paul addresses “those sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints together with all those who in every place call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ” (I Cor 1: 2). Indeed, Christians are already saints because Baptism unites them to Jesus and to his Paschal Mystery…”

(and then discussing becoming --more holy --more conformed to Christ he continues…)

“…but at the same time they must become so by conforming themselves every more closely to him.”

Saint Paul uses the term ‘saint’ in various places to simply refer to Christians. Those living on earth…see his various letters.

“Sometimes, people think that holiness is a privileged condition reserved for the few elect. Actually, becoming holy is every Christian’s task… The Apostle writes that God has always blessed us and has chosen us in Christ “that we should be holy and blameless before him… in love” (Eph 1: 3-5). … The “Way” is Christ, the Son, the Holy One of God: “no one comes to the Father but by me [Jesus]” (cf. Jn 14: 6).”

~ Pope Benedict XVI 1 November 2007

Now over the centuries yes another use of the term saints developed. Saints has been yes used for those who have lived as saints in a heroic way (by the grace of God of course).

And yes later a process of canonization developed to recognize them, honor them and propose them as special models for the Christian faithful in following Christ.

Thus one can say there are saints and also Saints in the canonized sense or at least the recognized sense (they were recognized long before the process of canonization developed…especially Our Lady, the Apostles and Martyrs).

---

We are ‘saints’ via faith and baptism - via the death and resurrection of Jesus of Nazareth…via the Holy Spirit…and yes we are to become more and more so.

---

So when someone says to me “oh well I am not a saint” say “you better get to confession then” and the explain what I mean …

www.vatican.va