Holiness is a rather specific religious term that people do not hear so often in everyday life. Many are interested in the question of what or who can be a saint? Most of those who have superficial information on this subject believe that this word refers to deeply religious people or those who are supposedly ranked as saints. In some religions of the modern world this is the name of those who went to a monastery or dedicated their whole life to God.
Over time, some purely religious words have leaked into the everyday vocabulary of the people. So it happened with this term. Not only temples and monasteries, but also various historical buildings, as well as those things that are of some value, began to be shrines.
What does it mean to be holy and what is the origin of this concept?
The Bible was originally written in Hebrew and Greek, therefore, in order to find out the true meaning of this concept, it is necessary to refer to the original language. The Hebrew word “kodesh” used in scripture literally translates as “separate, separate, also exclusively dedicated to God who is holy.” In Greek, it sounds like "hagios" and means complete separation from sin, as well as impeccability.
So what or who can be a saint? Based on these two concepts, a logical conclusion is drawn: only a person who is purely spiritual and moral, chosen by God to serve him, can rightfully be called a “saint”.
The term also applies to items.
But, as already known, this concept applies not only to people. Sometimes it concerns objects or things. The Bible tells us that in ancient Israel there were some things that were holy or separate to be used in worship of God. It is noteworthy that they did not have any supernatural magical power, which means they could not be talismans or amulets. Often they were made of gold and stored in the temple, which was also considered holy, since it was used exclusively for worship of the Almighty.
What about people? Who are the saints? In paintings and illustrations, artists often depict them with a halo (a shiny circle above their heads). One encyclopedic dictionary notes that its origin is hardly connected with Christianity. Ancient Roman and Greek artists, portraying their mythical gods and heroes, often painted "sunshine" around their heads. Thus, they probably wanted to emphasize their higher or unearthly origin.
The “New British Encyclopedia” tells us that in the art and mythology of the Hellenes and Romans, rulers, emperors and generals were often depicted in a crown of “sun rays”. This also applies to the Greek god of the sun Helios. If we talk about early Christian art, we can see that artists avoided this element in their works because of its obvious pagan roots.
However, over time, some professing Christian emperors allowed the halo to be added even to their official portraits. Perhaps this is due to their vanity and desire to elevate their identity to the "rank of saints." Over the years, this detail began to be painted on images of Jesus Christ, the Virgin Mary and others. Thus, the image of a halo has leaked into the modern Christian world, where it is still actively used.
Are there holy people in our time?
Some churches are convinced that people who have righteously lived their whole lives and who have been in heaven after death as a reward for their integrity and virtue can rightfully be called saints. In certain faiths, it is generally accepted that they are, as it were, intermediaries between God and people. Many turn to them for help and are even convinced that everyone has their own holy or so-called guardian angel.
To deal with this issue, you need to turn to the source, namely the Bible. What does it say about prayers to the saints? In the Gospel of Matthew Jesus said: “Pray like this:“ Our Father is in heaven … ”Based on these simple lines, we can make a logical conclusion: prayers must be addressed to God. Are there any saints now? Interestingly, a specific number is indicated in the Holy Scriptures - 144, 000. They are not mentioned so often in the Bible. However, what or who may be holy is decided by God, not people.
