Properly understood, it is ordered toward communion with the Most Holy Trinity and participation in the redemptive mission of Jesus Christ. The theological articulation of saint in patristic tradition developed over centuries through the reflection of the Fathers, the decrees of ecumenical councils, and the pastoral life of the Church. It is grounded in Sacred Scripture and transmitted through Sacred Tradition, forming part of the coherent unity of Christian teaching. In catechetical instruction, saint in patristic tradition serves not merely as an abstract principle but as a lived reality shaping sacramental life, moral formation, and prayer. The Church consistently teaches that this doctrine must be interpreted within the harmony of faith and reason, avoiding reductionism or distortion.
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