Saints

THE MAKING OF SAINTS

It is through the stories of the Saints that we truly learn the meaning of the Christian faith. To see these lives and what they went through for the love of God. Through their lives we can see the Red Path many have taken to endure our faith.
In the early church the making of Saints was a spontaneous act of the local Christian community. The early Christian regards all baptized believers as saints. But even among the first generation of Christian, certain individuals were singled out for special acclamation not because of their preaching or piety but because they died for their faith. Thus before the first century was out the term “saint” was reserved exclusively for Martyrs. In Greek martyr means “witness” and martyrdom remains today as one of the surest way to canonization.

(ACTS 6:7) The first Saint we know of was Stephen the Jewish convert and Deacon that was martyred for Christ. Luke’s account of Stephens Martyrdom shows his arrest; testimony of faith and death parallels the arrest, testimony and death of Christ. Stephen was said to be a wonder worker, preaches of Great Power, he incited the Jewish elders, so they arrested and tried him during which he gave an eloquent account of his faith. He is then taken out and stoned. He dies begging Gods forgiveness of his executioners. This shows how Stephen imitated the passion and death of Christ. His life & death was the story of Christ all over again.
After witnessing the execution the faithful would gather the remains of the martyr and gather for a liturgy and celebration over the remains. In this way, the early church, the tomb, and the altar were joined together very early in our history, and on the anniversary of their death (which was their rebirth into heaven). They would celebrate another liturgy each year.

Continue to next page for more information on how saints are canonized.