sainthood
Canonized person's standing
Sainthood is the state or status of being a saint—a person formally recognized by a religious institution, particularly the Catholic Church, as holy and worthy of veneration.
Achieving sainthood typically requires evidence of an exceptionally virtuous life and, in Catholic tradition, verified miracles.
The term extends figuratively to describe any state of exceptional moral virtue or patience: After raising five kids alone, she deserves sainthood.
Declaring someone among blessed
- miraclesSupernatural extraordinary events
- venerationProfound admiring respect
- VaticanPapal city-state
- relicsPreserved items from antiquity
papal · apostolic · martyrdom · hagiography · blessed · intercession · cause · shrine
Profound admiring respect
- prayerAddress to deity
- pilgrimageReligious journey to shrine
- relicsPreserved items from antiquity
- shrinesSacred devotional sites
novena · intercession · feast days · patron · medals · icons · candles · offerings
Suffering for conviction
- sufferingSustained experience of distress
- persecutionSystematic mistreatment of groups
- self-denialRestraining one's own desires
- renunciationFormal surrender of claim
abnegation · asceticism · mortification · fasting · celibacy · vows · austerity · endurance
Imagined or prophetic sights
- ecstasyOverwhelming intense delight
- stigmataWounds echoing crucifixion
- raptureOverwhelming ecstatic feeling
- levitationUnsupported aerial suspension
apparitions · revelations · contemplation · divine union · locutions · bilocation · incorruptibility · miracles
Voluntary aid for others
- humilityFreedom from arrogance
- patienceCalm during delays
- compassionConcern for others' distress
- chastityAbstaining from sexual activity
obedience · poverty · self-denial · fortitude · temperance · mercy · kindness · piety
Perceiving something as known
- elevationHeight above reference point
- titleFormal honorific or name
- venerableDeserving honor for dignity
- blessedReceiving divine favor
cult · devotion · patronage · intercession · honor · model · exemplar · enshrinement
Uncontaminated quality
- sacrednessQuality of being holy
- consecrationDedicating to sacred purpose
- blessednessState of spiritual grace
- righteousnessMoral correctness or virtue
godliness · sinlessness · immaculateness · perfection · grace · hallowed · divine favor · spiritual purity
beatification
Declaring someone among blessed
- miraclesSupernatural extraordinary events
- venerationProfound admiring respect
- VaticanPapal city-state
relics · papal · apostolic · martyrdom · hagiography · blessed · intercession · cause · shrine · feast day
veneration
Profound admiring respect
- prayerAddress to deity
- pilgrimageReligious journey to shrine
- relicsPreserved items from antiquity
shrines · novena · intercession · feast days · patron · medals · icons · candles · offerings · petitions
martyrdom
Suffering for conviction
- sufferingSustained experience of distress
- persecutionSystematic mistreatment of groups
- self-denialRestraining one's own desires
renunciation · abnegation · asceticism · mortification · fasting · celibacy · vows · austerity · endurance · witness
visions
Imagined or prophetic sights
- ecstasyOverwhelming intense delight
- stigmataWounds echoing crucifixion
- raptureOverwhelming ecstatic feeling
levitation · apparitions · revelations · contemplation · divine union · locutions · bilocation · incorruptibility · miracles · prophecy
charity
Voluntary aid for others
- humilityFreedom from arrogance
- patienceCalm during delays
- compassionConcern for others' distress
chastity · obedience · poverty · self-denial · fortitude · temperance · mercy · kindness · piety · faithfulness
recognition
Perceiving something as known
- elevationHeight above reference point
- titleFormal honorific or name
- venerableDeserving honor for dignity
blessed · cult · devotion · patronage · intercession · honor · model · exemplar · enshrinement · commemoration
purity
Uncontaminated quality
- sacrednessQuality of being holy
- consecrationDedicating to sacred purpose
- blessednessState of spiritual grace
righteousness · godliness · sinlessness · immaculateness · perfection · grace · hallowed · divine favor · spiritual purity · moral perfection
- deificationapotheosis, deification, divinization, divine status, godhood
- Catholic ChurchVatican, papacy, cardinals, popes, papal
- religionChristianity, Islam, beliefs, Judaism, Hinduism
- SaintsJoan of Arc, Virgin Mary, Mother Teresa, Pope John Paul II, Thomas More
- Religious Beliefsmonotheism, polytheism, pantheism, trinity, original sin
- Joan of ArcJoan of Arc, French heroine, martyr, heroine, canonization
sainthooddepravity
Profound moral corruption
wickedness · sinfulness · evil · vileness · villainy
sainthooddamnation
Eternal punishment decree
perdition · ungodliness · godlessness · unholiness · impiety
sainthoodsanctimony
Feigned moral superiority
hypocrisy · sanctimoniousness · religiosity · cant · pietism