/christian/ - Christian Discussion and Fellowship

>>649015

Saints are people who are known to be alive after death with certainty because, among other things, prayers to them have been heard and a miracle has been granted through their intercession, because of James 5:16.

>>649015

>Evangelic-Lutheran here. We don't have saints

There's literally no reason to LARP here

This is a good opportunity to make sure *I* understand it correctly. If I understand:

A saint, just like in Protestantism, is anybody currently in Heaven, or even more broadly, anybody in the community of Christ, but a canonized saint is one confirmed to be in Heaven as evidenced by a miracle as a result of intercessory prayer, and you pray to the saints for the same reason you would ask your brother to pray for you. Is this about right or am I completely off base or somewhere in between?

>>649026

No you're right. To become a saint is the goal of every Christian. There's probably Saints we are not even aware of, but the ones that we are 100% sure about are the ones canonized (there's a bunch of rules for one's canonization to ensure their sainthood)

They also serve as role models

>1) What do they do?

First and foremost, they enjoy beatific vision of God. But what's important to us they intercede for us before God.

>2) Do you catholics pray for saints or are they inspiration or what?

We pray to the saints ONLY in the sense that we ask saints to pray for us. It's important distinction in meaning even if wording ("to pray" and "to ask" is the same word, "orare"). We ask those rightous men to pray for us because prayer of the just availeth much.

And they are of course inspiration. We all want to get to heaven so it's logical that we fallow ways of those who get there.

>3) What is their purpose?

Being bride of our Lord in purest form, Church Triumphant.

>>649093

Thank you. Now one more question

4) There are many saints for specific purpose like warfare, learning, farming etc (or so I have learned from EUIV). How does that differ from pagan pantheons?

Or rather how does one approach specific saint and why does it matter what they specialized in life?

>>649121

For the same reason women speak to each other regarding their troubles instead of talking to men

>>649119

>>649121

St. Gertrude tells us in her book, "Revelations" that when we thank God for the graces He has given to any Saint, we get a great share of those particular graces.

>>649119

>>649121

I recently had a discussion with a Catholic deacon about this. The short answer is, it doesn't actually matter. Patron saints are given patronage out of veneration for a specific aspect of their life, like St. Patrick being the patron of Ireland. That doesn't mean Irish people can't ask other Saints to intercede for them, it's just St. Patrick is venerated for the work God did through him in that particular region. You could easily go to literally any other Saint, but the distinction is there to commemorate the work God did through that Saint, and to give comfort to the faithful.

Think of it like asking somebody at church to pray for somebody's cancer. This would be like asking the guy who beat cancer recently to intercede for the person with cancer. Prayer wise, it wouldn't matter which person does the interceding, but we have this natural inclination to go to people who will better understand our situation.

>>649119

>4) There are many saints for specific purpose like warfare, learning, farming etc (or so I have learned from EUIV)

Church prescribe particular saints as patrons of particular things for two reasons. First is that saint patron of x had connection with x during his life so it's natural that he certain graces from God when it comes to such things. For exemple Saint Andrew Bobola was great Patriot so he is patron saint of Poland. Or saint Nicolas gave secretlly money to young girls so that they wouldn't have to become prostitues so he is patron siant of prostitutes (i.e. those who been one and repented or are on thier way to repentance). Second is that people who pray may have stronger devotion to saints that were in simmilar situations. For exmple it's logical that soliders would pray to the siant who was solider like Prince of Heavenly Host Archangel Michael or great and heroic warrior like Ignatius Layola.

> How does that differ from pagan pantheons?

I could be smug and say that saints are actual gods (theosis and stuff) while pagan gods are all demons or idols but to be less vague - gods of pagans had authority over elements of themselves plus they were man-made lies or forfathers and heroes of nations that were deifieded in colecctive memory (for exemple it is common theory that in ideoeuropean pantheons three god-brothers like Zeus, Poseidon and Hades are just fairy tales about Japhet, Shem and Ham), while saints were real people whose authority comes by grace of God alone.

>>649121

>Or rather how does one approach specific saint

Fastest and easiest way is just say "Saint X pray for me". There are certain prayers to certain saints like Loreto Litany but wording is not (as) important but intention is.

>and why does it matter what they specialized in life?

See above