The Veneration of Angels, Saints, and Images

by Kathy Schley

One of the many subjects that are misunderstood in Catholicism is the veneration of angels, saints and
images. Veneration has only one meaning to non-Catholics, and that is, "worship" that belongs to God
alone. But according to the Scriptures, there are several degrees of worship. We have in the highest
degree, worship of latria, that is due to God alone. We also have worship of dulia, veneration given
to saints. And we have worship of hyperdulia, a higher veneration than dulia, but shorter in the
adoration that belongs to God alone. The Worship of hyperdulia is given to the Blessed Virgin Mary
because she is the greatest of the saints and the most exalted. The Scriptures show us the distinction
between honor that is given to a creature and Honor that is due to God alone. St. Paul to the Hebrews
gives us this distinction when he says, "Yet Jesus has been counted worthy of AS MUCH MORE
GLORY THAN MOSES as the builder of a house has more honor than the house. (For every
house is built by some one, but the builder of all things is God)." (Hebrews 3:3-4). Any honor,
dulia and hyperdulia, we give to a creature, we honor God Himself, for He is the source of all honor.
Apart from God, we cannot do nothing. (Jn. 15:5)

It is a disobedience to not give honor to whom honor is due. God commands us in The Fifth
Commandment to "honor thy father and thy mother." We know Jesus, our perfect example, obeyed
the Commandments and also honored His Mother. St. Paul commands us to "give honor to whom
honor is due." (Rom. 13:7) Christ himself promised us rewards (grace) if we give honor to the saints:
"He who receives a prophet because he is a prophet shall receive a prophet's reward, and he who
receives a righteous man because he is a righteous man shall receive a righteous man's
reward" (Mt. 10:41). Angel Gabriel venerates the Virgin Mary by greeting her with "Hail, full of
grace." (Lk. 1:28) The Virgin Mary's cousin, Elizabeth, became subordinate to Mary when she heard
Mary's voice, and exclaimed in a loud cry, "Blessed are you among women!...and why is this
granted me that the mother of my Lord should come see me?" After Mary received Elizabeth's
veneration, Mary herself proclaimed ALL GENERATIONS will call her blessed. (Lk. 1:48). St.
Paul tells us to honor Epaprhoditus who nearly died for the work of Christ. (Phil. 2:25-29) If we are
to honor those who nearly died for the work of Christ, do we not honor those martyrs who have died
for the work of Christ?

In the Scriptures we also see veneration given to angels. We see in Genesis 19:1 of Lot BOWING
HIMSELF WITH HIS FACE TO THE EARTH to two angels of the Lord. We also see in Tobit
12:16 Tobiah and Tobit who FELL DOWN TO THE GROUND before angel Raphael.

Now, for the veneration of images: Again, veneration is not worship of latria that belongs to God
alone. Nor is this veneration given to the image itself, but to God behind it. God does not forbid
images used in worship, but only forbids the object being worshipped in place of God. Big difference!
If God had forbidden to make images used in worship He would not have commanded them to be
made for His purposes in our worship to Him as we see in Exodus 25:18-22, 31:1,32, Numbers 21:8-9.
In the New Testament a woman who had 12 years of flowing blood was instantly healed after
touching Jesus' GARMENT. (Mk. 5:27-29). We also read in Acts 19:11-12, "And God did
extraordinary miracles by the hands of Paul, so that HANDKERCHIEFS and APRONS were
carried away from his body to the sick, and diseases left them and the evil spirits came out of
them." The Scriptures are crystal clear that God also uses images to perform miracles and reveal His
Glory.