St. micheal not really a saint

[morpheus02g]

Im not sure this is specifically related to the Bible but anyways, I thought that in order to be declared a saint you had to live on earth and there had to be 3 miracles relating to you and there are various other requirements for sainthood. My question is, if St. Micheal is an angel, how did he become a saint having never lived on earth?

 

[tjmiller]

Before the centralization and standardization of canonization processes by the Holy See in the Middle Ages, Saints were most often “canonized” by popular acclamation, veneration within the religious orders, or proclamation by local bishop. There was no set, official process, per se, so that many Saints of the first millennium of Christianity have never been formally canonized!

The Archangel Michael (as also the Archangels Gabriel and Raphael) has always been recognized as a Saint, first, because “saint” means “holy one”, and we know from Scriptue that he is one of the holy angels, and second, because veneration as a Saint also means recognition of that person’s presence with God in the glory of Heaven - which we also know to be true of Michael, by means of the Bible. (It would thus not be inappropriate also to say, “Saint Guardian Angel”!) Incidentally, we do indeed know of St. Michael’s earthly activities, also through Scripture.

 

[Fidelis]

morpheus02g:

…I thought that in order to be declared a saint you had to live on earth…

This seems to be your biggest false assumption…where did you ver get an idea like this?

 

[morpheus02g]

no disrespect meant, i just have a primative understanding of how one becomes a saint. tjmiller, thanks for clearing some things up for me.

 

[bogeyjlg]

A Saint is one who is in heaven. Saint Michael the Archangel is in heaven. Therefore he is a Saint. I am quite sure that the Church has not recognized all the Saints by name but that would not stop them (the unnamed) from being Saints.

 

[shannin]

I also wondered why Michael was called St. Michael. I thought an Angel was an Angel and a Saint was a human. Thanks for the explanations.