What is a saint What is a

What is a saint?

What is a saint? A saint is a person just like you and me that God gave special graces to in order for them to do special things. All the saints were holy men and women. Some of the saints could work miracles, some could heal, some had the ability to be in two places at once. God knew these people, as He knows us, and gave them these abilities because God knew these people would do His will.

How do we make a saint? The process used by the church to name a saint is called canonization. The bishop waits for a long time after the death of a person. Then an investigation is started. His or her life is looked at and any books or papers that are found are read by the bishop to be sure that person follows the true teaching of the church. Then a group of people called Theologians and cardinals in a group called "Congregation for the Causes of Saints" at the Vatican look into it and they decide if they should be approved. they are approved then the pope makes them Venerable.

But they aren’t a saint yet! The next step is after death they have to perform a miracle. Why? Because that proves that the person is in heaven. A person like you or me has to ask them for a special thing such as a healing. If we are healed, then The Pope can Beatify them. The third and final step is one more miracle. After that miracle then The Pope canonise them. Which means make them a saint.

Who was the first saint? Saint Ulrich (c. 890 -973), Bishop of Augsburg was canonized by Pope John XV. Ulrich became the first person formally elevated to sainthood.

Do we worship saints? No, we don't. We only worship God. The saints only assist us in our prayers to God. We only ask for the saint's intercession for us to God. The saints wrap up our prayers real nice and hand them to God for us. They can talk to God for us.

How many saints are there? How many saints do you think there are? a) Less than 700 saints b) Around 8000 saints c) More than 10, 000 saints d) Exactly 12, 000 saints There are in fact are more than 10, 000 canonized Saints.

Why do we choose a saint’s name when we are baptised? When something big is done by God in the Old Testament, He often changes the person's name as a sign. So in Catholic tradition, there are many life-changing situations when a person takes on a new name in addition or in place of the old one. Confirmation is one of them. We choose a saint whose life we would like to imitate. We pray to our saint and for their help to make us more like them.

What is a patron saint? Patron saints are chosen as special protectors or guardians over areas of life. These areas can include occupations, illnesses, churches, countries, causes -- anything that is important to us. Can you think of any patron saints?

Famous saints! There are many famous saints but there are some that are more well known than others. What famous saints can you think of?

Saint Andrew St. Andrew is the patron saint of Scotland He was one of the Twelve Apostles (disciples of Jesus) and brother of Simon Peter (Saint Peter). He was a fisherman by trade, who lived in Galilee (in present-day Israel. ) Do you know why St Andrew's symbol a white cross on a blue background? St. Andrew is believed to have died on a diagonally transverse cross which the Romans sometimes used for executions and which, therefore, came to be called St. Andrew's cross. The blue stands for the sky.

So why is he the saint chosen to represent Scotland when he was from Galilee? Legend suggests that a Greek Monk called St. Rule (or St. Regulus) was warned in a dream that St. Andrew’s remains were to be moved. He was directed by an angel to take those of the remains which he could to the "ends of the earth" for safe-keeping. St. Rule dutifully followed these directions, removing a tooth, an arm bone, a kneecap and some fingers from St. Andrew's tomb and transporting these as far away as he could. Scotland was close to the extremities of the known world at that time and it was here that St. Rule was shipwrecked with his precious cargo. St. Rule is said to have come ashore at a settlement on the East Coast of Scotland this later became St. Andrews. Thus the association of St. Andrew with Scotland was said to have begun.

Look them up! So next time you are setting a test you may want to offer up a prayer to Saint Joseph of Cupertino the patron saint of test taking and examinations Or next time you have toothache you could pray to Saint Apollonia Or how about next time the internet doesn’t work praying to Saint Isidore of Seville who is the patron saint of computers, computer users, computer programmers, Internet!!!