Traces of Jewish Hagiolatry

The common notion that hagiolatry is a special feature of Catholic liturgy is only partly true. Apart from personages such as Jesus and Mary, who already in the NT are removed from human mortality, the veneration of saints started with the adoration of martyrs, which soon thereafter was coupled with...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Author: Werner, Eric (Author)
Format: Print Article
Language:English
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Published: College 1980
In: Hebrew Union College annual / Jewish Institute of Religion
Year: 1980, Volume: 51, Pages: 39-60
IxTheo Classification:BH Judaism
Further subjects:B Jüdische Liturgie
B Jewish theology
Parallel Edition:Electronic
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Summary:The common notion that hagiolatry is a special feature of Catholic liturgy is only partly true. Apart from personages such as Jesus and Mary, who already in the NT are removed from human mortality, the veneration of saints started with the adoration of martyrs, which soon thereafter was coupled with supplications for their intercession. Similar ideas emerged in Judaism even before Christianity arose; after its official recognition Christianity and its theology saw in the martyr's crown a merit rewarded by elevation to sainthood. This led, often against the official doctrine, to a kind of worship which resembled the veneration of minor divinities. When the rabbis became aware of the great attraction of the saints' cult, they rightly feared it as a disguised relapse into polytheism and tried to prevent its proliferation. They succeeded only to a certain extent, and a few remnants of the ancient veneration of martyrs has survived to our days.
ISSN:0360-9049
Contains:In: Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion, Hebrew Union College annual / Jewish Institute of Religion