If you are Catholic, and you want to follow the orthodox religion, you might be wondering if you can orthodox venerate Catholic saints. The Eastern Orthodox Church acknowledges saints before the great schism of 1054, but after that, they do not glorify Catholics. That’s because Catholics who are in communion with Rome are heretics and do not meet the requirements of orthodoxy.
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Irenaeus
The Catholic and Orthodox churches have often differed in the way they venerate saints. While it’s unclear whether or not Irenaeus was a martyr, his life is an important bridge between Eastern and Western Christianity. Throughout his lifetime, he served churches in both traditions and sought to maintain unity. In fact, he was known as the “doctor of unity”.
Irenaeus was born in Asia Minor but became a bishop in the West, a fact that reflects the interconnection of the East and the West in the early Church. His missionary zeal, pastoral care, and administrative diligence earned him widespread acclaim. He helped shepherd the flock of Christ in different sees, and he was revered during his lifetime.
Savonarola
Catholics and Orthodox Christians have different views about veneration. Both groups recognize the veneration of icons and the cross as sacred, but they do not strictly follow this tradition. Orthodox also allow the veneration of saints and the cross in their worship, although the sign of the cross is made differently. In Orthodox churches, the dead are commemorated on 3rd, 9th, and 40th days after death.
While Protestants reject the veneration of sacred images, they do recognize direct repentance. However, unlike Catholics, Protestants do not recognize icons, the cross, or the relics of saints. As a result, many people have a misconception that there is little difference between Protestantism and Orthodoxy.
St. Philip
Catholics and Orthodox Christians have different attitudes toward saints. While both churches recognize the validity of canonized saints, they do not reciprocate the veneration of their saints. The Orthodox Church does not accept the veneration of schismatics or heretics, and vice versa. However, the Catholic Church has accepted the canonization of certain Orthodox saints, like St. Seraphim of Sarov.
The ultimate goal of a saint is to imitate God and to live a deified life. According to St. Maximos the Confessor, a saint must avoid the development of the soul through unnatural activities. The saint must always be looking towards God and achieving complete unity with God through the Holy Spirit.
Irenaeus’ cult
While Irenaeus doesn’t explicitly condemn the veneration of images, he does condemn apostates who set up counterfeit images of Jesus as a sign of apostolicity. In addition, he doesn’t condemn idolatry in general, as the apostates presumably aspired to do in the first place. He also seems to make it seem as though possessing images isn’t objecitonious – a notion which is contrary to what Irenaeus taught.
Irenaeus’ cult is not without controversy, however. Some Catholics claim that Irenaeus’ cult has caused schism in the Church. This is a question of interpretation, and it’s impossible to say for sure what prompted Irenaeus’s cult.
Irenaeus’ relics
The Orthodox Church is not the only denomination that venerates St. Irenaeus. He was an early church father, and was born in Turkey in the second century. He went on to become the bishop of Lyons and traveled from one side of the Roman Empire to the other. He is considered one of the most influential church fathers.
There are a variety of reasons why a person may want to venerate a saint. First of all, it is a way to honor a living saint. Relics of martyrs are often the most highly prized relics in Catholic churches.
St. John Chrysostom
In the early Church, John Chrysostom played an important role. He served as an archbishop of Constantinople and is known for his preaching, writing, and denunciation of abuses of authority. His writings reveal a refined understanding of the Holy Trinity and the Gospels. Many of his spiritual reflections are referenced in the modern Catechism.
He is also a saint in the Orthodox Church. He is an outstanding example of a saint who was a great theologian and ecumenical leader. He lived in a time when Arianism was flourishing.
St. Maximus the Greek
The Greek monk Maximus became a saint after his death, and his name is now venerated in both the orthodox and the catholic churches. He gained popularity in part due to the atrocities committed against him and the vindication of his theological position. Moreover, he wrote extensively on theology and liturgical matters. His theological work was continued by his disciples, including the orthodox St. Simeon the New Theologian, and by St. Gregory Palamas.
Orthodox and Catholic churches have a long history of praising and adoring Catholic saints. In fact, the 7th Ecumenical Council declared those who do not teach reverence for saints as anathema. It is important to note that the veneration of saints is closely tied to their pleasing God and full divinization through His grace.
