In various religions, a saint is a revered person who has achieved an eminent status of holiness, known as sainthood. The word saint comes from the Latin word sanctus, meaning 'holy', and although saint has been applied in other religious contexts, the word has its origins in Christianity. [2] In Christianity, some religious authorities require that a person undergo a formal process of canonization to be recognized as a saint, such as the Catholic and Eastern Orthodox Churches. These churches also hold that a saint may intercede on behalf of the living who invoke them in prayer, a belief which is rejected by Protestants. [3] Outside Christianity, the word saint has been extended to include revered figures in Buddhism, Chinese folk religion, Greek polytheism, Hinduism, Islam, Jainism, Judaism, Shinto, and Zoroastrianism. [4]
