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Who was the first saint?
-- Peggy (stpetersre@nwoknet.net), February 21, 2002Answers
I believe St. Steven was the first martyr of the church, his story is recorded in the book of Acts. I don't know if he was the first "official" saint though.Carolyn
-- cksunshine (cklrun@hotmail.com), February 21, 2002.I thought it was Mary. No????? Jane
-- jane (janeulrich80@hotmail.com), February 21, 2002.I think we have to go all the way back to the angels who were invented before man; after all, we refer, for example, to St. Michael the Archangel.
-- Chris B -- February 21, 2002.Jane is right that Mary was the first who was redeemed by Christ. But if we're referring to who was the first "saint" -- that is, who was the first who existed and could have been rightly called by "saint" at that time, even if they were not so called, I think we have to refer to the angels.
-- Chris B -- February 21, 2002.Even tho Mary was born without original sin, my understanding has always been that she still was required to cooperate fully with grace, thus exercising her free will in perfect accord with God's will. I suppose it is possible that she COULD have said no, after all Adam and Eve said no and THEY were born without original sin. So she would still participate fully in the redemption offered by Christ, surely THAT is what made it made her fiat possible, even tho the Son was not "in time" at that moment in the way He would be. And in the course of her life she was required again and again to utter this complete YES, in perfect freedom. Her life is the paradigm of redemption- she herself said "The Almighty has done great things for me"....SHE didn't do it. What else IS redemption??Jane
-- Jane (Janeulrich80@hotmail.com), February 23, 2002.JaneIt is true that Mary was the chosen one By GOD to bear his son and she was without original sin because of the Graces given by GOD alone. She was in her lifetime tempted many times as was Christ in the desert but he ordered the Devil to leave. Mary must have done the same thing throughout her lifetime. She was prone to he sins that humans were subject to at the time of her life, but with GOD's Graces she did not fall. It is this example that we as a Church honor her and follow her example to reach towards the Risen GOD, Christ every Sunday aat Mass. We DO NOT worship her at all, we look towards her devotion to her son and follow her example. Remember she with the other women and the Apostles was there when Jesus first appeared in the upper room in his Glorified body. She was Worshipping her son just the same way we do to this day.
-- Fred Bishop (fcbishop@globaleyes.net), February 23, 2002.I pulled this old thread up because there seems to be some question in some minds if Mary is a Saint. (By deinition. I know we all love the Blessed Virgin.)God bless
David S
-- David (David@excite.com), July 20, 2002.I always pray to St. Michael the Archangel, his prayer to defend us in battle is so powerful...however, why do we call him St. Michael when he is an angel? Angels can be saints too?I am getting a little confused about sainthood....I have lots of work to do....I think I should take a course to study our religion further..there is so much history in our faith that I need to learn.
MaryLu
-- MaryLu (mlc327@juno.com), July 21, 2002.MaryLu,Yes, Saint Michael is a Saint and an angel. The word 'Saint' (in Latin-derived languages) is "santo," or "sancto." In these languages, the word serves for both the English words "saint" and "holy." So if the word saint/holy mean "close to God" or "pleasing to God," then it makes sense that angels like Michael are also saints.
Mateo
-- (MattElFeo@netscape.net), July 21, 2002.
-- The Thread Restorer (Thread@Restoration.com), December 02, 2003
According to church teachings, Mary was fully redeemed from the very first moment of her conception. She was full of grace. The grace was given to her in anticipation of Christ's passion, death, and resurrection on the cross. Hence, it is believed, being of full of grace, she had nothing to be tempted of and she did not sin. She was fully redeemed. Just like, if someone says I thank God for redeeming me from the sins of fornication, stealing, murder, etc., by not allowing me to fall in the first place, by giving me a good christian family and a good christian neighborhood. Yet, she could have sinned like Eve if she had deliberately focussed on the worldly voices around, cast aside her grace, and sinned. She had trials and sufferings, yet her focus was on her Son, the Word of God made flesh. With Christ, she grew from grace to grace, fully partaking in all mysteries of His life (Joyful, Luminous, Sorrowful, and Glorious as in the rosary) and in the end being found sinless and come to the stature and fullness of her Son, Jesus Christ, she was assumed into heaven and glorified as Queen of heaven and earth.
-- leslie john (leslie_jn@yahoo.com), December 05, 2003.
According to church teachings, Mary was fully redeemed from the very first moment of her conception. She was full of grace. The grace was given to her in anticipation of the merits Christ's passion, death, and resurrection on the cross. Hence, it is believed, being of full of grace, she had nothing to be tempted of and she did not sin. She was fully redeemed. Just like, if someone says I thank God for redeeming me from the sins of fornication, stealing, murder, etc., by not even allowing me to fall in the first place, because of the gift of a good christian family and a good christian neighborhood. Yet, she could have transgressed like Eve if she had forcefully cast aside her grace and sinned. She had trials and sufferings, yet her focus was on her Son, the Word of God made flesh. With Christ, she grew from grace to grace, fully partaking in all mysteries of His life (Joyful, Luminous, Sorrowful, and Glorious as in the rosary), and in the end being found sinless and come to the stature and fullness of her Son, Jesus Christ, she was assumed into heaven and glorified as Queen of heaven and earth. The beauty of Mary's life, her glory, and her closeness to the Holy Trinity is a profound mystery. To penetrate it more, one has to rise saintly heights.
-- leslie john (leslie_jn@yahoo.com), December 05, 2003.
According to church teachings, Mary was fully redeemed from the very first moment of her conception. She was full of grace. The grace was given to her in anticipation of the merits Christ's passion, death, and resurrection on the cross. Hence, it is believed, being of full of grace, she had nothing to be tempted of and she did not sin. She was fully redeemed. Just like, if someone says I thank God for redeeming me from the sins of fornication, stealing, murder, etc., by not even allowing me in the first place to fall, because of the gift of a good christian family and a good christian neighborhood. Yet, she could have transgressed like Eve if she had forcefully cast aside her grace and sinned. She had lot of trials and sufferings, yet her focus was on her Son, the Word of God made flesh. With Him (Christ), she grew from grace to grace, fully partaking in all mysteries of His life (Joyful, Luminous, Sorrowful, and Glorious as in the rosary), and in the end being found sinless and come to the stature and fullness of her Son, Lord Jesus Christ, she was assumed into heaven and glorified as Queen of heaven and earth. The beauty of Mary's life, her glory, and her closeness to the Holy Trinity is a profound mystery. To penetrate it more, one has to rise to saintly heights.
-- leslie john (leslie_jn@yahoo.com), December 05, 2003.
Chronologically, the first human being to be saved from the stain of original sin through the power of the Holy Spirit was Mary - "My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord, my spirit rejoices in God by savior"...The second person would be John the Baptist - who leapt in his mother's womb for joy at the presence of the Messiah. After all, both Elizabeth and John were filled with the Holy Spirit in Mary's presence... this is why the Church celebrates just 3 birthdays as major feasts: Christmas, the Immaculate Conception, and John the Baptists birthdays.
All were born without original sin, but Mary and Jesus were conceived without sin....
The fourth or fifth "saint" would probably be either Simeon who met them at the Temple and/or Joseph.
St Joseph, pray for us!
-- Joe (joestong@yahoo.com), December 05, 2003.
The key to this answer revolves around the definition of saint. Are we refering to the process of formal canonization? Are we refering to "humans"? (which would emiminate angels). Are we talking about any being in union with God (beaitific vision)? We only know about angels (through revelation) and humans as created beings. However, in the vastness of the universe..and beyond, how do we know that there are not other creations of God? If Mary, the Mother of Jesus, is considred, she may have been saved from the moment of her conception (Immaculate Conception) however she was not privledged to the beatific vision until her assumption (the date of which is undertain) which would leave St. Steven, the first martyr as the most probable candidate. While such a question does make for intersting speculation, to answer it would be like trying to determine how many angels can fit on the head of a pin.
-- Deacon Norman Kutschenreuter (nstck@aol.com), May 24, 2004.
Well I would say either the angels or Adam and Eve, as they were saints too. Do angels count as saints? As for who was first canonized and officially declared a saint, that might be another question.
-- Emily ("jesusfollower7@yahoo.com), May 24, 2004.
"Adam and Eve, as they were saints too" (Emily)This is certainly news to me! Do you have any evidence of this, Emily?
-- Steve (55555@aol.com), May 25, 2004.
A saint is one who is sanctified. I'd say the first was God Himself.
-- Oliver Fischer (spicenut@excite.com), May 25, 2004.
Hi Steve,I heard on this forum awhile back about Adam and Eve being saints. I don't remember who told me this, but whoever it was said that their memorial day on Dec. 24 is symbolic. I guess it's relating to the death of the first Adam (and sinful nature) and the coming of the second Adam - Christ - on Dec. 25. Paul talks about the two Adams in Romans.
Hi Oliver,
Interesting thought. However, God does not need to be made a saint (saint means holy), because He already is holy. I think the idea of saints is that they are made holy by God.
God bless,
-- Emily ("jesusfollower7@yahoo.com), May 25, 2004.