Why and how do you venerate the saints and icons of the saints?

[Pathway2]

Giving that there is the argument that walking around in christian festivals carrying a statue of the blessed virgin Mother Mary, that it would be idolatrous. How do you approach that argument.

 

[mrsdizzyd]

It’s only idolatrous insofar as you intend to worship that statue or that saint.

Veneration is admiration. The saints are powerful examples of how men and women have walked with Christ. That Word ‘Christ’ is important. The saints aren’t venerated simply because they were great people. They are venerated because of how they followed Christ and submitted to the will of God. Christ-centered.

It’s one thing to read about following Christ. It’s quite another to see how someone has implemented that walk in their lives.

This is as I understand it.

 

[resolute]

I have heard processions led by statues of The Blessed Mother compared to when then the Israelites would process with The Ark of the Covenant leading the way. She is a type/fulfillment of the Ark of the Covenant.

 

[Todd_Easton]

Also, there were two statues of cherubim (angels) on top of the Old Testament Ark of the Covenant. (See Exodus 25:18-20) So, whenever the Israelites walked around carrying the Ark, such as during their forty-year sojourn in the wilderness, when they crossed into the Promised Land, when they marched around the city of Jericho, etc., they were carrying around statues. It wasn’t idolatrous because, even though they carried around statues, they did not intend to worship (adore) the statues.