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**Kubasarika** · 01-23-2007, 01:26 AM

Why are there so many Orthodox saints? Who makes the determination on who becomes or who is a saint?

As Herman said, the Church only recognizes what God has already revealed. Here is a quote from Bp. Alexander's webpage article on saints:

Also, why does a baby have to be named after an Orthodox saint? I see many children in one family with the same name. Is this really necessary?

It is not necessary to have many children in the same family with the same name - but it is done in some families simply as a matter of custom. Even outside of Orthodoxy this is not uncommon. In my own family there are at least 4 other Davids as first names and quite a few more if you count the "middle names" - none of whom (other than my son and I) are Orthodox. David is a "family name" coming from my grandfather and a number of the grandchildren were named for him.

In Serb tradition children are not given saints names, but the whole family has a patron saint - their "slava" saint is the patron and protector of the whole family and is chosen as the saint on whose feast the family first became Orthodox.

Fr David Moser

01-23-2007, 01:26 AM	#3
Kubasarika Join Date Oct 2005 Posts 505 Senior Member	Why are there so many Orthodox saints? Who makes the determination on who becomes or who is a saint? As Herman said, the Church only recognizes what God has already revealed. Here is a quote from Bp. Alexander's webpage article on saints: Also, why does a baby have to be named after an Orthodox saint? I see many children in one family with the same name. Is this really necessary? It is not necessary to have many children in the same family with the same name - but it is done in some families simply as a matter of custom. Even outside of Orthodoxy this is not uncommon. In my own family there are at least 4 other Davids as first names and quite a few more if you count the "middle names" - none of whom (other than my son and I) are Orthodox. David is a "family name" coming from my grandfather and a number of the grandchildren were named for him. In Serb tradition children are not given saints names, but the whole family has a patron saint - their "slava" saint is the patron and protector of the whole family and is chosen as the saint on whose feast the family first became Orthodox. Fr David Moser
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