Non-Catholic saints

[marymary1975]

I’m sorry but your wrong about that. They are St. Abraham and St. Moses. They are in heaven because Jesus opened the gates to them. Remember both St. Elijah (celebrated especially in the Eastern Churches and by the Carmelites) and St. Moses appeared with Jesus at his transfiguration. Eternity doesn’t have a time table. We can only speak that way because we are limited in time, but they are there in eternity, and they are saints.

I think the reference is colloquial – in the sense that everyone in heaven is a Saint – but they havent been declared by the church (certainly none were bu the early church) as saints. If you look at how they are listed under the Saint list they are listed as Abraham the Patriarch, Elijah the Patriarch, etc. When they died (with Elijah’s exception who I don’t take into account because he was taken in the chariot etc) they could not go into heaven. They went to Abraham’s blossom and they had to wait until Jesus’ death to be brought to heaven by Jesus. So certainly the Patriarchs are saints as well as anyone in heaven but to the questionposted – being declared by the church as a Saint – none of them was. So far I’ve never heard of a canonization process having happened for Moses or Abraham or Elijah.

 

[marymary1975]

I think the reference is colloquial because if you look at how they are listed under the Saint list they are listed as Abraham the Patriarch, Elijah the Patriarch, etc. When they died (with Elijah’s exception who I don’t take into account because he was taken in the chariot etc) they could not go into heaven. They went to Abraham’s bossom and they had to wait until Jesus’ death to be brought to heaven by Jesus.

 

[JurisPrudens]

What about saints who lived before the establishment of the Catholic church?

The Catholic Church was established by Christ on the Cross!

 

[Della]

I think the reference is colloquial – in the sense that everyone in heaven is a Saint – but they havent been declared by the church (certainly none were bu the early church) as saints. If you look at how they are listed under the Saint list they are listed as Abraham the Patriarch, Elijah the Patriarch, etc. When they died (with Elijah’s exception who I don’t take into account because he was taken in the chariot etc) they could not go into heaven. They went to Abraham’s blossom and they had to wait until Jesus’ death to be brought to heaven by Jesus. So certainly the Patriarchs are saints as well as anyone in heaven but to the questionposted – being declared by the church as a Saint – none of them was. So far I’ve never heard of a canonization process having happened for Moses or Abraham or Elijah.

The Church recognizes them as saints. They didn’t have to go through any process to determine that. Indeed, many of the early Church saints were declared saints by popular acclaim. Over time the Church established a process to determine sainthood, but those who came before that time are equally saints and the Church lists them as saints.

 

[Novocastrian]

What about saints who lived before the establishment of the Catholic church?

There are Old Testament saints in the Roman Martyrology. I believe the Eastern Churches tend to allocate saints-days to significant prophets.

 

[ChibiViolet]

What about saints who lived before the establishment of the Catholic church?

They are in Heaven. That’s what counts. No saint is less of a saint simply for never being recognized as such on this earth.

Furthermore, all saints are honored by the Church every year on All Saint’s Day, including those who are not known of by any on earth at this time.

 

[Contarini]

I highly doubt that the RCC would canonize someone who was not in full communion with itself. In fact, and I could be wrong, but I think it is impossible to become a saint without being within the church perfectly. Then again, I could be wrong, since I am not Catholic.

I believe that post-Schism Orthodox saints are recognized by Eastern Catholics, with the approval of Rome.

Edwin