The first stained-glass window that visitors see after entering St. Paul's Episcopal Church is a panel to the right, a scene of the church's namesake on the road to Damascus.
It depicts Paul's conversion and is a reminder that God can turn any life or circumstance around, said the Rev. Richard Sanders, St. Paul's rector.
Sunday is All Saints' Day, a day for Christians to honor the lives of saints, prophets and martyrs such as St. Paul.
The day has its origins in the early Christians who gathered to commemorate the day of a martyr's death. Although many feast days are still observed in the name of individual saints, they have been remembered collectively since the fourth century.
All Saints' Day is observed by Western Christians, especially Catholics, Anglicans, Lutherans and Methodists, each Nov. 1. Orthodox Christians remember saints on the first Sunday after Pentecost.
"In the Middle Ages, the association of a church with a saint meant that person protected the church, or interceded for them," the Rev. Sanders said. "Sometimes the bones of that person were kept there or built into the church, or the church would preserve and share a relic from that person."
St. Paul's letters in the New Testament are the closest thing to a relic kept at the Augusta church, but saints still play an active role in church life.
Read on for more about the saints that give area churches their names.
Reach Kelly Jasper at (706) 823-3552 or kelly.jasper@augustachronicle.com.
St. Bartholomew
St. Bartholomew's Episcopal Church in North Augusta is named for this saint, better known as St. Bart around the church.
He was one of Jesus' 12 disciples and is believed to have preached in India and Armenia.
St. Catherine
St. Catherine Orthodox Church in Aiken is named for St. Catherine of Alexandria, Egypt, the patron of philosophers.
She converted to Christianity but was offered marriage into a royal family if she turned away from her faith. After she refused, Catherine was put to death.
St. Thaddeus
The namesake of St. Thaddeus Episcopal Church in Aiken was one of the 12 apostles.
Thaddeus, according to the church, seems to be synonymous with the names Lebbaeus and Jude.
Those who believe him to be St. Jude identify him as author of the New Testament book and a relative of Jesus. St. Thaddeus is patron saint of those suffering and of desperate causes.
St. Ingatios
St. Ignatius, or Ignatios in some spellings, was bishop of Antioch. In 107, he was taken to the Coliseum in Rome and fed to lions in the presence of 50,000 spectators.
"In preparation for this honorable witness to the love of Jesus Christ he proclaimed, 'I am the wheat of God. I must be ground by the teeth of wild beasts to become the pure bread of Christ,' " said the Rev. Damian Higgins, a Ukrainian Catholic priest in residence at St. Ignatios of Antioch, Melkite-Catholic Church in Augusta.
He was chosen in the church's naming 25 years ago because its founders believed in the need "for a renewed witness to the original Orthodox-Catholic truths taught in the early church. The bold love of St. Ignatios inspired the Christians of his day to live boldly the Christian faith and the hopes of our original founders is that we would do the same," the Rev. Higgins said.
St. Helena
The Convent of St. Helena, an Episcopal order in Augusta, is named for this saint, who married a Roman general and bore a child, Constantine the Great, but was disgraced by a divorce, according to the convent.
It was likely then that she became a Christian.
Helena's son also converted and, becoming emperor, gave his mother the title "Augusta," meaning empress. She spent the rest of her life on pilgrimages, starting churches.
PATRON SAINTS AND THE COMMUNION OF SAINTS
Saints also play a role at churches not named for them.
At The Church of the Most Holy Trinity, St. Patrick is the primary patron saint, chosen by a vote of the clergy and the people on Easter Sunday 1863 as an advocate in heaven for the church and its people. St. Vincent di Paul is a secondary patron saint for the church, said the Rev. Michael Lubinsky.
Though churches often use the names of more popular saints, at Sunday's Feast of All Saints, saints known and unknown are remembered.
The number of "known" saints canonized in the Roman Catholic Church is estimated at 3,000. The word "saint," however, has a dual purpose in many faiths; it is often applied to the community that exists on Earth in the church, he said.
The canonized saints, he says, illuminate holy living and saintly virtue on this side of eternity for the benefit of the church -- a "communion of saints," as it's written in the Bible and church creeds.
"This goes straight to the heart of Jesus' call for us to be holy," he said. "These men and women exemplify in word and action how they are so close to us in our own journey to be holy and beloved in God's sight each and every day."
In Orthodox churches, the name of a saint is received at baptism.
"The role of a saint or holy person in our tradition is to be held up as a light of transformation, or transfiguration," the Rev. Damian Higgins said. "Every Christian is called to be like unto Christ, to proclaim as St. Paul did that it is 'no longer I who live but Christ who lives in me.' "
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Never quite understood why some Christians decide to name churches to honor human beings, when they should recognize Christ alone. I think Peter, James, John, or Paul would be very upset to see a church named after them instead of Jesus. Besides, ALL Christians are "saints". That's what the Bible teaches. "All Saints Day" should be for all Christians, not just a select few.
Some Christians? Oh, you mean 95 percent of all Christians on the face of this planet? By naming churches after saints churches are attempting to honor them. Everything that happens inside a church points to Christ; however, the stories of the saints help people understand the faith better.
I also think it's presumptious for you to presume to know what the Apostles would think. All Saints Day recognizes that some people have done a lot for the faith (some have even died for it). It honors their committment to Christ and sets an example for us to follow.
I don't think it's presumptious at all. If you read the writings of Paul and Peter (and John too), you'll see tremendous humility. For example, Paul calls himself the worst possible sinner. Peter was the great denier of Christ, and Jesus even called Peter "Satan" at least one time. John once wanted to burn an entire village of people. They were all transformed by grace, and not by their own volition. So yes, these men had a very shameful past, and looked to Christ as their transformation. Name a church for Paul or Peter? No way. THAT is presumptious! If you read Peter's own words in Acts 4:12, he says there is NO OTHER name but Christ. That is what Peter believed and how he lived. Slap Peter's name on a church to honor him? Why, he'd be the very first person to rip down the sign. Wouldn't you? Any humble and realistic Christian would. We all should. In terms of our EXAMPLE to follow, that's Christ and Christ alone. We need no other example or name.
Please remember the teachings of "Saint" Paul: ALL Christians are referred to as "saints" (i.e., those "set apart"). We're all set apart by and for Christ; all made saints through his blood. It was only man that designated some saints as better or more holy than others. Sure, we can look to great Christians and learn from their mistakes and their victories. But when it comes to honoring and revering -- that's for Christ alone. You don't pray to saints (and certainly never to Mary). That's ridiculous. The New Testament is clear that we pray to God, and God alone, through the intercession of the Holy Spirit, and in the name of Jesus Christ. Any other method is man's attempt to mess up God's designated plan. This whole "saint" thing has far more negatives than positives.
Churches began naming themselves after admired saints after there were more than one or two in an area. "The XXX Church" works for a while. "The Other XXX Church" works for awhile. But after two. there starts to be confusion. All Saints Day used to be a big deal- and in some places and religions it still is- but in America, generally speaking, it's diminished in importance.
All Saints Day not diminished in importance in the sacramental churches at all. It is one of the major feasts of the church year, and for Roman Catholics at least, a holy day of obligation-- Catholics must attend an All Saints Day Mass. Most non-sacramental protestants have a very limited understanding of the concept of the Communion of Saints, which includes all the faithful departed and not just those recognized by canonization. And, sadly, many (HowCanWeKnow is a good example) are absolutely determined to believe that Catholics and anyone resembling them worship Mary the Mother of Jesus, saints and idols, even though they don't and are horrified at the very idea of such heretical nonsense. Too bad so many are completely rigid and unwilling to trade lies and misrepresentations about us for the beauty of truth. The arrogance of such false accusations is astounding from someone who claims to carry the love of Jesus in his heart. But hey, you've got HBO and The New York Times keeping you company with the Catholic bashing. We're the last easy target for reprehensible bigotry and I suspect things will only get worse.
I don't think it's "bashing" to simply point out that some religious practices (Catholic or otherwise) simply do not square with Biblical teaching. If a Christian religion wants to claim the Bible as authoritative, then they'd better do what the Bible says. There's nothing wrong with appreciating other Christians. But, this idea of canonization and praying to dead saints, no matter how well-meaning, is pretty far from what the Bible actually says. I'm no expert in Catholicism, but I have heard Catholics PRAY to saints and to Mary. I didn't say "worship" Mary, but clearly they pray to saints (Mary included). Again, this is totally against the clear teaching of God's word. Don't get mad at me for simply pointing out that some Catholic practices are very contrary to God's word. Take it up with your priest.
If there are Catholics praying to saints, then they misunderstand the Catholic Church's own teaching. Maybe it SEEMS as if they are praying to the saints to you. I was raised Roman Catholic and I have remained an active Roman Catholic all my life and never did I pray to the saints. I pray to God. I might think about Mary's life, and ask myself what she would do, or another saint's life who had gone through a life trial similar to some of my own, asking myself the same thing, what would that saint do in my position, but pray to them? That never crossed my mind. They are mentors, not God. I only pray to God. Catholic practices are NOT contrary to God's word. It is your understanding of them that is faulty.
You may be right, and I'd like to understand better. But, when I hear a Catholic say, "Hail Mary, full of grace," isn't that addressing (i.e., praying) to Mary directly? That's talking to her directly, as far as I can tell. If I'm wrong, please correct me. But, it sure seems like a direct conversation to me. Also, I've heard it said that Catholics ask St. Christopher for help too. Again, if I'm wrong I'd like to be corrected, but the words I've heard and read seem awfully much like a conversation, and not some meditation on their life, as you suggest. An attempted conversation with a dead "saint" is prayer, isn't it?
No, it isn't, Howcanweknow. Have you never heard that we are surrounded by "so great a cloud of witnesses"? Who exactly do you think that refers to? You have a very flawed understanding of Catholicism on the one hand, and very possibly of the teachings of the Church universal as handed down from the Holy Apostles and early church fathers. Perhaps you don't recite the Nicene Creed in your church, but it is THE statement of Christian belief for all denominations, and all that is necessary to believe and accept for salvation. Included in that Creed is this statement: "I/we in the Holy Spirit, the Holy Catholic church, the communion the saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body and life everlasting..." How did you ever get the idea that death removes someone from the communion of saints? That's certainly not in the Bible, although there are many who conveniently interpret things that way. They generally are the same ones who find it easy to claim that the bread and wine of Holy Communion is not the actual body and blood of Christ, despite Jesus himself clearly saying it is.
Fl, Communion of SAINTS refers to ALL CHRISTIANS. Haven't you ever actually READ the Bible? Paul specifically refers to ALL Christians as saints, not some church-designated privileged few. Read it there for yourself. "Communion of saints" refers to all Christians coming together for communion. There is absolutely no reference in the Bible whatsoever for canonization. It's a man-made thing. How in the world can you commune with a dead person? No way. Communion must be 2 way, don't you think? We commune with all the saints here on earth, and with God. That's it. THAT is what the Bible is speaking of. The Catholics have twisted this clear doctrine to mean something entirely different from what the Bible really says.
St Catherine: "She converted to Christianity but was offered marriage into a royal family if she turned away from her faith. After she refused, Catherine was put to death." Untrue, for sure. Catherine was known as a High Priestess, a philosopher, and well-respected in ancient Alexandria; her name is Hypatia. The local Monks were afraid of her and it is they who murdered her when she was on her way to the libraries. After she was dead, they used clam shells to strip her body to the bone. It was centuries later that the Catholic Church wanted to atone themselves for this wanton murder and to do so, named her Saint Catherine. Hypatia was never a christian, although she tolerated their tenets; she did not marry because she had no desire to do so. There are plenty of books of historical accounts that indicates this is what happened to this beloved lady.
St. Catherine lived 105 years before Hypatia. They are not the same person.
I have no problem with creeds, Nicene or otherwise, as long as we remember that, once again, creeds are man-made. Sure, they are, hopefully, based upon scripture. But, to elevate some church-fabricated creed to the same level as divinely-inspired scripture is a BIG mistake as well. One of the phrases my church uses is: "No creed but Christ." I certainly stand by the logic and truth of that statement. Lastly, please remember that the Bible expressly condemns trying to communicate with dead human beings-- saints or otherwise. "Prayers" exhorting Mary or some other "saint" to pray for us have to be strictly against the plain teaching of God's word, as I read it. If I'm wrong, again, please correct me. But, show me my error in scripture, not in some man-made opinion, creed, or church tradition. Men (yes, even the pope) are all fallible. None of us are perfect. Only God and His divinely-inspired word are completely trustworthy.