Tag Archives: Saints

Christmas Images and St. John Damascene

Advent/Christmas is a time filled with images – manger scenes, the Holy Family, angels, Saint Nicholas, and many others. This is not unique to the Catholic Church, but something you see almost everywhere this time of year!

What is ironic, is that for some the Catholic use of images is in fact an obstacle and stumbling block to belief in the Church. Many believe that this violates the Old Testament prohibition: “You shall not make for yourself an idol or a likeness of anything in the heavens above or on the earth below or in the waters beneath the earth” (Exodus 20:4). How can we fill our churches with graven images, when this is specifically prohibited? The extreme view of this position is called iconoclasm (literally, “image breaking”). It is the belief that all forms of images are against the teaching of the Scriptures and the respect due to God, and must be removed or destroyed.

Therefore, I think that it is very fitting that we always celebrate the feast of St John Damascene (Dec. 4th) near the beginning of Advent. He was an active writer in the early 700’s at a time when iconoclasm was very strong. In his writings we find a wonderful defense of the practice of sacred images – seeing them not as an obstacle to authentic worship, but a powerful aid!

First, the extreme position against images is not even a fair interpretation of the Old Testament. Just five chapters after the supposed prohibition against all graven images, God commands that the Israelites make images of the cherubim (a type of angel) to be placed on the Ark of the Covenant: “Make two cherubim of beaten gold for the two ends of the cover” (Exodus 25:18). Likewise, wooden statues of the cherubim are included in the construction of the Temple in Jerusalem: “In the inner sanctuary he made two cherubim, each ten cubits high, made of pine.” (1 Kings 6:23). Thus, the Old Testament does not forbid the creation of all sacred images, but only in the narrower sense of ones specifically worshipped in place of God (i.e., idols). As Catholics, we do not worship the saints in place of God, but rather see them as living brothers and sisters near to the Lord – “He is not the God of the dead, but of the living, for to him all are alive” (Luke 20:38). We give thanks for the grace of God at work in them, and ask them to pray for us.

Second, St John Damascene specifically draws out the way that things have changed after the incarnation of the second person of the Trinity- Jesus taking on human nature in the womb of the Virgin Mary, true God and true man. Many of the Old Testament laws were connected to the particular time and situation, or as a preparation toward later fulfillment. There are many times that Jesus declares this about Old Testament teaching: 

  • “You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’… [and] ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, love your enemies, and pray for those who persecute you” (Matthew 5: 38, 43-44).
  • “He said to them, ‘Are even you likewise without understanding? Do you not realize that everything that goes into a person from outside cannot defile…’ Thus he declared all foods clean.” (Mark 7:18-19). 
  • “Because of the hardness of your hearts Moses allowed you to divorce your wives, but from the beginning it was not so.” (Matthew 19:8). 

In each of these cases, Jesus speaks of an Old Testament teaching that was pointing toward a deeper fulfillment, not one that was binding for all time. Many other examples could be found – for example, the animal sacrifices in the Temple.

Along this line, St John Damascene pointed out that when the “Word became flesh and dwelt among us” (John 1:15), God made a living image of Himself. Jesus says, “Whoever has seen me has seen the Father” (John 14:9). The prophet Isaiah speaks of the way that the Messiah will remove what veils God: “On this mountain he will destroy the veil that veils all peoples, the web that is woven over all nations” (Isaiah 25:7). Indeed, we see this at the death of Christ on the Cross: “And behold, the veil of the sanctuary was torn in two from top to bottom” (Matthew 27:51).

For all of these reasons, it is a mistake to take an overly strict interpretation of the prohibition against images in the Old Testament. I provide these abundant Scriptural references, since the attack against Catholic sacred images is often motivated by a desire to be faithful to what the Bible teaches. We can see that the Scriptures themselves teach us that God has reached out to us in a new way. The New Testament proclaims a closeness to God. Saints or sacred images do not keep us from seeing the glory of God as if they were competing lights, but rather they are mirrors that reflect the divine goodness in radiant beauty. It is a wonderful practice during Advent and Christmas to spend time praying in front of the art of the season, calling to mind more and more deeply the presence of God in our lives!

The Road to Canonization

It has been awhile, but I am back! One of my last posts looked at different meanings of the word “saint,” as well as some of the Biblical basis for our prayers to those in heaven (see here: https://borrowedlore.com/2023/07/29/what-is-a-saint/)

I thought All Saints Day would be an appropriate time to follow this up with a long-delayed “Part II.” This post will look at the path by which someone becomes a canonized (official) saint in the Catholic Church. Given that a former member of our Diocese (Fulton Sheen – baptized in El Paso, IL and ordained a priest in Peoria) is currently on the road to canonization, I thought I would add some comments about his journey through this process as well!

History

While the word “saint” can be used in a general way for any holy person, over time we see a process develop for public veneration. In the early Church there was no formal structure for deciding who should be publicly venerated as a saint. The decision was mainly based on popular devotion and the discernment of the local Church. Jesus’ principle “by their fruits you shall know them” (Matthew 7:16) was the main guiding light, looking for the fruits of holiness and miracles. 

Devotion was especially given to those who died for the faith (i.e., martyrs). We see the beginning of the veneration of their tombs in the catacombs. At times, the phrase “ora pro nobis” (“pray for us”) would be written on their burial sites. The relics of the martyrs were cherished, and the tombs would likewise be places of celebrating the Eucharist.

An early witness to the practice of feast days is found in the account of the martyrdom of St Polycarp (written c. 155 AD): “Accordingly, we afterwards took up his bones, as being more precious than the most exquisite jewels, and more purified than gold, and deposited them in a fitting place, whither, being gathered together, as opportunity is allowed us, with joy and rejoicing, the Lord shall grant us to celebrate the anniversary of his martyrdom, both in memory of those who have already finished their course, and for the exercising and preparation of those yet to walk in their steps” (Chapter XVIII). (As a side note, the first daily Mass I remember attending was his feast day my freshman year of college – the celebration of this anniversary has continued for nearly 1900 years!).

Eventually, a collection of these names and anniversaries were gathered together in books called “martyrologies” (i.e., lists of the martyrs). Different Dioceses or religious orders would keep lists of those who they recognized as saints. In fact, the official book of those who are approved for public veneration as saints or blesseds in the Catholic Church is still called the Roman Martyrology – although it contains all types of saints, not just martyrs. As the Bishop of Rome serves a unique role in the whole Church, so this list serves a unique role in the veneration of saints.

Modern Process

As time went on, this gradual/regional recognition process needed refinement so that it could continue to provide a safeguard to public veneration.  It is one thing to have a personal conviction about the holiness of a person, but another to promote recognition of the person throughout the whole Church as a saint in heaven. Therefore, an official list (“canon”) was developed, as well as a process of recognition (“canonization”). It is not intended as an exhaustive list of everyone in heaven. Rather, the list of canonized saints promotes true models of holiness who can be celebrated in the liturgy, commemorated in the names of churches, and trusted in their teaching. 

The modern canonization process is handled by the Dicastery for the Causes of Saints in Rome. It draws on the approach of the early Church, while incorporating elements of the formal processes that were begun in the 10th to 13th centuries. Currently the road to canonization has four stops: “Servant of God,” “Venerable,” “Blessed,” and “Saint.” 

Servant of God

The title “Servant of God” is given when a person’s formal cause of canonization has begun. This generally requires waiting five years after the person’s death. It corresponds to the early practice of recognizing ongoing local devotion as a sign of holiness. If the person’s memory continues to inspire veneration and intercession, then it is a preliminary sign for recognition as a saint. Fulton Sheen was declared a Servant of God on September 14, 2002.

Venerable

An in-depth investigation of the person’s life is begun after the cause is opened. For those who have passed away recently, this includes interviewing anyone who knew the person well. It also includes studying what was written by/about the person (in the case of Fulton Sheen, it also included quite a bit of radio/video content!). The decision to declare the person Venerable means that this study has shown evidence of heroic virtue. Fulton Sheen received the title “venerable” on June 28, 2012. 

Blessed

A key sign in the early Church for public veneration was the presence of miracles through the intercession of the deceased. And so, still today, after being declared Venerable, intercession is asked from the saint-to-be. Those promoting the cause often distribute prayer cards to encourage the faithful to ask for prayers for particular cases. Miracles that are reported undergo careful scrutiny, including blind studies by medical professionals. If no discernible natural cause can be found, the Holy Father can accept it as sufficient witness. It is also possible for the Holy Father to waive the requirement for a first miracle, as is the custom for martyrdom (the grace to profess faith even at the threat of death being considered evidence in itself!).

Beatification then gives approval for local veneration as a saint, and grants the title “Blessed” (in Latin, “beatus”). In other words, the feast day of the individual can publicly be celebrated at Mass and in the Liturgy of the Hours in certain regions. This corresponds to the previous practice of Diocesan/Religious saints, who were recognized in one region but not universally celebrated. To reflect the fact that beatification is only a partial step to universal recognition, Pope Benedict revived the older custom of having a local Bishop or other significant Bishop in the Church celebrate them (rather than the Pope himself).

Fulton Sheen already has approval of recognition for a miracle through his intercession. In 2010, a child near Peoria, IL (James Fulton Engstrom) was born without a pulse. Those gathered began praying through the intercession of Fulton Sheen. Medical interventions were attempted for an hour without effect, and then his heart began to beat at an ordinary rate. In 2014, a panel of seven medical experts concluded that this should have either resulted in death or severe disability. After examining the evidence, they concluded natural causes could not explain the results. Pope Francis accepted this evidence in 2019. All that waits now is a date for the celebration of the Beatification!

Saint

The final step follows a similar pattern to Beatification. The name of the ceremony comes from the Greek word for an official list (“canon”). It is at this point that the person receives the title of Saint. The feast day of the saint may be celebrated anywhere in the universal Church. The Pope himself generally celebrates the canonization Mass to reflect its universal and definitive character.

As mentioned above, the list of all canonized saints (along with blesseds) was traditionally kept in books called martyrologies. The Roman Martyrology was revised after the Second Vatican Council, finally being published in 2004. Unfortunately, it has never received any official translations from the original Latin. The Dicastery of Saints does maintain an Italian website for updated information on new beatifications/canonizations: https://www.causesanti.va/it.html Unfortunately it has no official translations either, only the Italian-language site… but, at least online it is easier to get the assistance of translation programs!

One final note- the Church does not only recognize those who have gone through this modern process as official saints. I have often seen St Patrick trivia that claims he has never been approved as an official saint – not true! St Patrick merely was recognized before the modern process, but his inclusion in the official book of saints (Roman Martyrology) ratifies this. If it were true that he was not an “official” saint, then neither would be the virgin Mary or the Apostles!