Should Eastern Catholic Churches canonize their own Saints?

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Alexander_Roman

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Dear Friends,

Among the ancient traditions of the Eastern Churches was/is that of glorifying their own Saints.

This tradition existed in the West as well until the time of Pope Urban VIII but even when Unam Sanctam came down, many RC bishops continued to beatify their own diocesan Beati e.g. Bl John Scotus Eriugena, the Franciscan who developed the theology behind the Immaculate Conception who was beatified locally in Italy and then by Bl. Pope John Paul II.

In the East, even monasteries canonize their own saints. For example, the Optina Monastery in Russia has canonized locally 12 of its monks martyred by the communists.

Recently in Germany, the Orthodox Church there canonized locally St Alexander of the White Rose, a young man who opposed the Nazis as a member of a secretive “White Rose” group but who was found out and martyred.

There was even a debate in the UGCC about whether Rome should canonize St Josaphat or whether the UGCC itself should.

His Holiness Pope Benedict now, for the most part, has local bishops/Cardinals do beatifications to underscore the role of the Local Church in this process.

Is it time for the EC Churches to reclaim yet one more of their ancient traditions in this regard?

Alex
 
I don’t see why not. I guess Rome needs to do it if the Saint will be on the universal Church calendar. But if the saint will not be universally liturgically commemorated, then each particular Church should be able to canonize their own saint.
 
ConstantineTG said:
I don’t see why not. I guess Rome needs to do it if the Saint will be on the universal Church calendar. But if the saint will not be universally liturgically commemorated, then each particular Church should be able to canonize their own saint.
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I like your reasoning sir and it is entirely in keeping with the Eastern and universal tradition!

Alex
 
It smacks a little too much of the “Let’s just do it (defy Rome) attitude” that I’ve witnessed on a few online forums. Be patient you’ll get more Saints.
 
Dear Seamus,

I doubt if EC’s have historically wished to defy Rome. If they did, the best defiance would be to simply return to the Orthodox Churches from whence they came (and I doubt if Rome would shed crocodile tears if they did - such a thing would make Rome’s relations with Orthodoxy that much more streamlined).

But your last point is what hits upon something rather insightful. Until Pope John Paul II, about 90% of the canonized saints in the RC Church came from the three main Latin countries. In short, hardly a reflection of the universality of Catholic sanctity.

Even when the last “batch” of 28 UGCC (with one Ruthenian and one Russian) Catholic beati were declared in Ukraine by Blessed John Paul II, there were great grumblings in the UGCC as to why the Ven. Metropolitan Andrew Sheptytsky was being side-stepped, despite numerous miraculous reports and the fact that he spiritually formed the beati in question.

We know that there were communications between Rome and, shall we say, “other persons” calling on Rome not to beatify Andrew for reasons purely political (i.e. although half-Polish, half-Ukrainian, he defended the UGCC as her primate - obviously not a good thing to do . . . and also the Russians weren’t happy, once again).

Also, the idea of “beatification” is completely foreign to the Eastern Churches. In the East, there truly is “gradation” of sainthood, but the title to one and all is always “Saint” whereas “Blessed” is similar to the West’s “Venerable.”

In addition, we know that in Italy and France especially, even after Urban VIII’s directive that beatifications be done by Rome alone, local bishops continued to beatify their local worthies. Rome has yet to “undo” these local cults and, in some cases, has officially placed them in the Roman calendar e.g. Bl. Joachim di Fiore.

I disagree with the mindset that if Rome doesn’t handle things, they are not properly handled.

Also, if the UGCC glorified its own saints for its own Church, such as Sheptytsky and Patriarch Joseph the Confessor (the Russians aren’t happy with the prospect of him receiving the honours of the altar either - meaning Rome will sit on its hands as a result), then alot of these political problems for Rome would dissipate. The Russians and others can then focus on villifying the UGCC for such canonizations and look to Rome as if to say “How could you let them do that?” With Rome tacitly replying, “They like to defy Us, they are defiant ones - what can We do? We already have enough problems with all the defiant Latin Catholics . . .”

As for the issue of "more saints’ (you, sir, like to throw in your own two cents’ worth from time to time . . .), the UGCC has plenty of saints already from her rich heritage - more than 150 Saints of the Kyiv Caves Lavra, another 61, plus the venerable saints of Zverynetsky, the saints of the Baroque era (which I’m sure you will appreciate since they were heavily Latinized and loved it!).

It’s not an issue of getting more saints (but the more the merrier, I say - and so do the Italians . . .), it’s an issue of EC churches living their own Particular lives which includes glorifying their own local saints. The Syriac Catholic patriarch recently referred to those martyred in Church by extremists “New Martyrs” as if he had already declared them so - the Catholic press wasn’t happy about that. I would like to call on all to join with me in applauding the Syriac Catholic Patriarch! (Somehow, I don’t hear you clapping in the background . . .). 😉

It’s win-win situation for all. In fact, there are so many icons of both St Andrew Sheptytsky and St Joseph the Confessor around in our churches and seniors’ homes with people praying before them and lighting candles to them that I believe Rome will eventually refer to this as “equipollent canonization.”

Again, we’re just trying to help Rome out with her ecumenical problems here . . .

May Saint Andrew and Saint Joseph of Galicia pray unto God for us! (Not an official decree of canonization . . .).

Alex
 
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