ABSTRACT
During the matins service in the Byzantine liturgical tradition the priest recites a lengthy petition calling upon the intercession of an array of saints. The petition, which follows the reading of Psalm 50 and the singing of the idiomelon, lists the saints in particular groups with a clear sense of rank: first the Theotokos, then the heavenly powers (angels), followed by John the Baptist, the apostles, etc. A similar grouping of saints is found in the short service known as the proskomide or prothesis for the preparation of the bread to be used in the Eucharistic liturgy. Such formal categorization of saints is unusual in the Orthodox tradition. With its ubiquitous array of saints and the importance of their veneration and cultus in Orthodox Christianity, it is curious the Orthodox Church lacks an official categorization and systematic treatment of the saints. Even an official definition of sainthood is lacking. Further, the Orthodox Church does not have an elaborate method (such as found in the Roman Catholic Church) by which the church assesses or identifies saintly individuals who are worthy of the church’s veneration. Such lacunae do not suggest a lack of concern for saints nor a relegation of the communion of the saints within the Orthodox tradition. On the contrary, the saints occupy a significant place within the life of the Orthodox Church and form an integral part of the religious practice and piety of Orthodox Christians.
