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Are there any Old Testament Celebrities declared Saints?
Topic Started: Friday, 24. August 2012, 20:18 (161 Views)
Derekap
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So far as I know all the Saints sanctified by The Church have lived at the time Jesus Christ was on earth or since. Surely Amos, Job, David, Moses, and many more should be sanctified as Saints. Didn't God speak to them directly from time to time? If some of them were naughty from time to time diid not St Peter deny knowing Jesus and St Paul persecuted Christians?
Derekap
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PJD

As far as I know - St.David only; St.David's Day!

Others not acknowledged e.g. Moses??

There was of course St.John the Baptist; although he was born before Christ.

PJD
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OsullivanB

St David is not King David. He was a 6th century Welsh Bishop.
"There is a principle which is a bar against all information, which is proof against all arguments and which cannot fail to keep a man in everlasting ignorance - that principle is contempt prior to investigation." Herbert Spencer
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Home in Rome
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The Holy Maccabees (1st August) were commemorated in the Roman Calendar until 1969, and can still be observed when following the extraordinary calendar of 1962 under Pope Jon XXIII. The Maccabees are still commemorated in the Orthodox Church.
The Orthodox Communion also has numerous churches dedicated to OT figures, such as Moses, Aaron and David.

I suppose the main reason why there aren't more pre-Christian canonised saints in the Catholic Church is that they were all given chance to hear the Gospel when Christ descended to Hades after his death (1 Peter 3), and that having lived before the time of Christ, they couldn't fulfil one condition for sainthood in their lifetime, to bear witness to Christ either through death (martyr) or life (confessor).
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PJD

"St David is not King David. He was a 6th century Welsh Bishop. "

Yes of course. Sorry about that OsB.

PJD

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paul

old testament prophets I assume hold a higher "rank" than saints?
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Derekap
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Paul, is that why they are not allocated any Feast Days like the known Saints?

Surely they could pray for us?
Derekap
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paul

perhaps because they were of the Jewish faith and not considered to be members of Christ's newly founded church?
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OsullivanB

John the Baptist was of the Jewish faith and died before the words to Peter: Upon this rock I will build my ekklesia.
"There is a principle which is a bar against all information, which is proof against all arguments and which cannot fail to keep a man in everlasting ignorance - that principle is contempt prior to investigation." Herbert Spencer
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Home in Rome
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OsullivanB
Sunday, 26. August 2012, 20:57
John the Baptist was of the Jewish faith and died before the words to Peter: Upon this rock I will build my ekklesia.
But he correctly recognised Jesus as the Messiah who takes away people's sins and pointed away from himself to Christ, who must increase while he himself must decrease. Even after his arrest, he was in contact with Jesus' disciples. Though he wasn't the first to die in defence of the Christian faith (that accolade goes to Stephen), his martyrdom was in witness to justice and righteousness. John, like all New Testament saints, weren't canonised formally by the Church but through repute and public veneration. And it's obvious that John was held in highest esteem by the early Church - he appears in all four gospels - as the precursor of the Messiah.
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OsullivanB

I entirely agree with all of that, Home in Rome, which I found very helpful. My post was only picking up on paul's observations.
"There is a principle which is a bar against all information, which is proof against all arguments and which cannot fail to keep a man in everlasting ignorance - that principle is contempt prior to investigation." Herbert Spencer
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Deacon Robert
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try this:

http://www.catholic.org/prayers/prayer.php?p=467
The burden of life is from ourselves, its lightness from the grace of Christ and the love of God. - William Bernard Ullanthorne

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Rose of York
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Thanks for the link, Deacon Robert. I had not heard before of the Litany to Old Testament Saints.

Catholic Answers staff gave an interesting answer to a question about praying to Old Testament saints. They mention the Litany, and refer to the Catechism.
Link to article

Catechism of the Catholic Church
 
61 The patriarchs, prophets and certain other Old Testament figures have been and always will be honoured as saints in all the Church's liturgical traditions.

http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0015/__PG.HTM
Keep the Faith!

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Clare
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Putting the "Fun Dame" into Fundamentalist
Ss Anne and Joachim were pre-New Testament, being Our Lady's parents.

And as has been mentioned on another thread, Ss Adam and Eve's feast day is Christmas Eve.
S.A.G.

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Rose of York
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Clare
Sunday, 2. September 2012, 11:24
Ss Anne and Joachim were pre-New Testament, being Our Lady's parents.

And as has been mentioned on another thread, Ss Adam and Eve's feast day is Christmas Eve.
This is the old topic about Old Testament Saints, there is some good stuff in it.

http://ukcatholic.co.uk/topic/105292/2/
Keep the Faith!

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