Queen Esther

[Lady_Kikyo]

Is she considered a Saint? If so, has the Church always regarded her as a Saint? If so again, what is her feast day? Thanks.

 

[bnbkaine]

She is almost assuredly in Heaven so she is a saint. I don’t believe that the Church has established a feast day for her.

 

[oneGODoneCHURCH]

I would say that she falls into the same catagory as other Old testement saint, suchas Moses, Abraham, etc… We can say they are in Heaven, and as so they are saints, but the title saint iis not really given.

 

[SonCatcher]

As others have said, Esther is considered an Old Testament Saint, so she is likely in Heaven.

No Catholic feast is set for her but if you want a particular day to honor her on, I suppose you could use Purim (the Jewish feast that commemorates the deliverance described in the book of Esther). The date floats on our calendar. This year was Feb 27. Next year will be Feb 17.

 

[Lady_Kikyo]

Thanks everyone. My husband and I watched Esther yesterday and started wondering about a few things in her regard. We found some of the Old Testament Faithful in a Saints book, with feast days and everything, but nothing on her or her cousin, which is why we were wondering on that point.

 

[MarkThompson]

Thanks everyone. My husband and I watched Esther yesterday and started wondering about a few things in her regard. We found some of the Old Testament Faithful in a Saints book, with feast days and everything, but nothing on her or her cousin, which is why we were wondering on that point.

As I understand it, a saint can only be memorialized at Mass if he or she is listed in the Roman Martyrology (see GIRM #355). Some, but not very many, Old Testament figures are listed in the Martyrology, and from what I’ve been able to tell Esther is not one of them. That would mean she does not have a feast day, no optional memorial for her can be celebrated, no church may be named after her, etc.

 

[Lady_Kikyo]

As I understand it, a saint can only be memorialized at Mass if he or she is listed in the Roman Martyrology (see GIRM #355). Some, but not very many, Old Testament figures are listed in the Martyrology, and from what I’ve been able to tell Esther is not one of them. That would mean she does not have a feast day, no optional memorial for her can be celebrated, no church may be named after her, etc.

But we could still pray for her intercession/have her for a special patron (not for Confirmation, obviously) but aside from that?

 

[MarkThompson]

But we could still pray for her intercession/have her for a special patron (not for Confirmation, obviously) but aside from that?

I’m not an expert, but I think the answer is yes. That’s generally how people become saints in the modern era anyway – someone prays for the intercession of a not-yet-canonized person, a miracle occurs, and it is attributed to that person’s intercession.

I would expect the same principle to apply to Old Testament figures, although it seems extraordinarily unlikely that the Church is going to canonize any more of them than it has already done. Personally, I wouldn’t pray to an uncanonized person from the Old Testament, but I don’t think any theological principle prevents it. Of course, the risk you run is that the person to whom you are praying is not in heaven at all. I wouldn’t start praying for the intercession of Nebuchadnezzar or Goliath anytime soon!

In my view, too, for the same reasons it seems ill-advised to consider adopting a non-canonized figure as a “personal patron.”

 

[MarkThompson]

By the way, if you want to look into recognized saints who held certain jobs, or were mothers, or are patrons of something, etc., this site is a great resource for information.

 

[Lady_Kikyo]

By the way, if you want to look into recognized saints who held certain jobs, or were mothers, or are patrons of something, etc., this site is a great resource for information.

Thanks, will check it out.

BTW, do you happen to know why she and her cousin are not canonized? Just curious.