Prayer to Saints

Why do Catholics pray to statues of dead people?


Well, it could be said that Catholics know people in high places and they do not hesitate to ask them for favors. All those who have departed this world and are now in heaven are called saints. The church from the beginning has held up the saints as role models for us here on earth to imitate their virtues and to petition their help that we too may become saints in heaven:
2683 The witnesses who have preceded us into the kingdom, (HEB 12:1) especially those whom the Church recognizes as saints, share in the living tradition of prayer by the example of their lives, the transmission of their writings, and their prayer today. They contemplate God, praise him and constantly care for those whom they have left on earth. When they entered into the joy of their Master, they were "put in charge of many things." (MT 25:21) Their intercession is their most exalted service to God's plan. We can and should ask them to intercede for us and for the whole world.
Is it surprising then that Catholics would develop devotions to their favorite saints as well as Mary, the mother of God. The statues of saints are reminders for us much like the photographs we carry in our wallets and purses or display prominently in our homes of loved ones. A photograph of a loved one reminds us to give them a call and express our love to them. We may also ask them to remember us in their prayers. So too do statues of saints remind us of our love for the saints and give occasion to ask for their help through intercessory prayer.

Do not all Christians profess a belief in the "Communion of Saints"?

1474 The Christian who seeks to purify himself of his sin and to become holy with the help of God's grace is not alone. "The life of each of God's children is joined in Christ and through Christ in a wonderful way to the life of all the other Christian brethren in the supernatural unity of the Mystical Body of Christ, as in a single mystical person."

1475 In the communion of saints, "a perennial link of charity exists between the faithful who have already reached their heavenly home, those who are expiating their sins in purgatory and those who are still pilgrims on earth. Between them there is, too, an abundant exchange of all good things." In this wonderful exchange, the holiness of one profits others, well beyond the harm that the sin of one could cause others. Thus recourse to the communion of saints lets the contrite sinner be more promptly and efficaciously purified of the punishments for sin.

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