saint

Holy man or woman respected for his or her wisdom, spirituality, and dedication to their faith. Within the Roman Catholic Church the pope officially recognizes a saint through canonization. Many saints are associated with miracles, and canonization usually occurs after a thorough investigation of their lives and the miracles attributed to them. A patron saint is regarded as the patron of a particular group or country. For individual saints, see under forename; for example, Paul, St.

In the Orthodox Church, saints are recognized by the patriarch and Holy Synod after recommendation by local churches. The term ‘saint’ is also used in Buddhism for individuals who have led a virtuous and holy life, such as Kūkai (774–835), also known as Kōbō Daishi, founder of the Japanese Shingon school of Buddhism.

The lives of thousands of Catholic saints have been collected by the Bollandists, a group of Belgian Jesuits. In 1970 Pope Paul VI revised the calendar of saints' days: excluded were Barbara, Catherine, Christopher, and Ursula (as probably nonexistent); optional veneration might be given to George, Januarius, Nicholas (Santa Claus), and Vitus; insertions for obligatory veneration include St Thomas More and the Uganda martyrs.