Solace

From: Akkerman, Justin <JAkkerma_at_vmcsnat2.telecom.com.au>
Date: Thu, 28 Sep 95 18:03:00 EST

>> I do not have an understanding of Christian Saints
other than what I was told as a child (you can't become one. you are born a saint.) and the fact that it takes the Vatican a while to do the paperwork. <<

My understanding of Christian (Catholic) Saints is that they have atoned for their sins whilst _on_ earth. No waiting in purgatory, go straight to heaven. To be recognised by the Vatican they also need to have miracles attributed to them. And to be a saint you don't need to be recognised either. The pope doesn't have the final say.

The references of Saints in the King James bible itself refer to a pious Jew in the Old Testament (Psalms xvi. 3) and to christian believers in the New Testament in Romans i. 7, and Hebrews vi. 10.