Saint
In Catholic and Orthodox use, a person officially recognized as holy and in heaven, who can be asked to pray for you. In the New Testament — and Protestant use — every Christian.
What they actually mean
“"Either an official holy hero (Catholic) or any believer at all (Protestant). Same word, two sizes."”
Heard in the wild
“St. Francis is the patron saint of animals.”
“Paul writes 'to the saints in Ephesus' — that means the ordinary Christians there.”
The Lighter Side
There's a patron saint of the internet (Isidore), of comedians (Genesius), and of lost things (Anthony), who is, ironically, the most frequently called.
The longer version
What it means
"Saint" has a big meaning and a small one. The big one is Catholic and Orthodox: a saint is a person the church has officially recognized as living a life of heroic holiness, now in heaven, whom the faithful can honor and ask to pray for them. There are thousands — apostles, martyrs, monks, mothers, kings, a teenager or two — and many are "patrons" of a place, a profession, or a cause. Catholics are named after them, celebrate their feast days, and put their statues in gardens.
The small one is biblical and Protestant: a saint is any Christian. Paul writes "to the saints" in his letters and means the whole church, warts and all. In this sense, if you're a believer, you're a saint, and so is the guy who runs the sound board.
Why people say it
Catholics and Orthodox honor saints because they believe the church includes the dead as well as the living — the "communion of saints" in the creed — and that those who've finished the race can still cheer on and pray for those running it. Saints are also examples: proof that holiness is possible in every era and walk of life. Protestants keep the New Testament sense to emphasize that holiness belongs to every believer by grace, not to an elite.
How to respond
If a Catholic friend mentions a patron saint or says "St. Anthony, help me find my keys," they're doing something normal in their tradition — asking a friend in heaven to pray. If a Protestant calls you a saint, they're either quoting Paul or being wry. If you're asked which saint you're named after and you weren't, "none, actually" is fine. If you visit a church named for a saint, you've learned something about its denomination.
If you hear it in different churches
Catholics: canonized saints, patron saints, feast days, statues, prayers for intercession. Orthodox: saints "glorified" by the church, icons, feast days, the same intercession. Anglicans and Lutherans: honor saints as examples, name churches after them, keep some feast days, generally don't ask their intercession. Reformed, Baptist, evangelical, Pentecostal: "saint" means any believer, and there's no formal category. All Souls' and All Saints' Days (November 1–2) are kept by the liturgical churches.
Where does “Saint” come from?
The Greek hagios, "holy one," is Paul's ordinary word for Christians. Honoring martyrs' graves and asking their prayers is attested by the 100s and 200s. Formal canonization — the church's official declaration that someone is a saint — developed in the Middle Ages; the current Catholic process (Servant of God, Venerable, Blessed, Saint, with verified miracles) was standardized in the 1600s and streamlined in 1983. The Reformation rejected invoking saints while affirming the "communion of saints" in the creed. Patron saints for professions and causes grew up through medieval guilds; St. Isidore of Seville was proposed as patron of the internet in the 1990s.
Good to know
Catholics ask saints to pray for them ("intercede"); Protestants find this unnecessary or wrong and go directly to God. That's a real disagreement, but it's about prayer, not about whether holy people exist. "Saint" in a church name (St. Mark's) usually just tells you it's Catholic, Anglican, Lutheran, or Orthodox. "Latter-day Saints" is a different use entirely.
You might also hear
Feast Day
Catholic & OrthodoxA day on the church calendar honoring a saint or an event in the life of Christ or Mary — marked with special readings, sometimes a Mass or Liturgy, and often, despite the name, no feast.
“"A saint's day, or a holy day, on the church calendar. Food not guaranteed."”
Icon
Catholic & OrthodoxA sacred painted image of Christ, Mary, or a saint, made in a traditional style and honored — not worshipped — in Orthodox and some Catholic worship.
“"A holy painting that Orthodox Christians kiss, bow to, and pray in front of — as a window, not an idol."”
Rosary
Prayer & DevotionTwo Catholic structured prayers. The Rosary is a set of prayers counted on beads while meditating on events in Jesus' life; a novena is a prayer repeated for nine days for a particular intention.
“"Catholic prayer with beads (Rosary) and Catholic prayer for nine days straight (novena)."”
Common questions
How does someone become a saint?+
In the Catholic Church, through a formal investigation of their life and, usually, two verified miracles attributed to their prayers, ending in canonization by the Pope. Orthodox churches "glorify" saints through their synods. Protestants don't have a process — every believer is a saint.
Do Catholics pray to saints?+
They ask saints to pray for them, as you'd ask a friend — "intercession," not worship. Protestants generally don't practice this.
What's a patron saint?+
A saint associated with a particular place, group, profession, or need — St. Patrick for Ireland, St. Luke for doctors, St. Anthony for lost things — whose help is asked for that concern.
Heard a word we haven't covered?
Suggest a term →Get the Word of the Day
One new Christianese term in your inbox each day — free, friendly, and always plain English.
Written by Rev. Christopher D.F. Warrington, Ordained Minister, M.Div. · Updated September 2026
This entry was compiled with AI assistance and has not yet been reviewed by an ordained pastor.