Hagiolatry (Noun)
Meaning
The worship of saints.
Classification
Nouns denoting acts or actions.
Examples
- The Catholic Church's emphasis on Mariolatry and the veneration of relics led some critics to accuse the clergy of promoting hagiolatry.
- In the minds of many Christians, hagiolatry is closely tied to the worship of God, as the saints are seen as intercessors and mediators between humanity and the divine.
- The elevation of holy men and women to the status of saints has sometimes been criticized as a form of hagiolatry, where saints are worshipped as idols.
- Protestant reformers condemned the practice of hagiolatry, seeing it as a corrupting influence on the early Christian church.
- In some traditions, the line between veneration and hagiolatry is blurred, leading some believers to lavish elaborate devotions on their favorite saints.