Mary & the Saints
The Communion of Saints
The Church on earth, the souls being purified, and the saints in heaven form one Body of Christ united in love and mutual prayer.
Catholic teaching
Death does not sever the bonds of the Body of Christ; the saints in glory, far from being cut off, are more alive and more capable of interceding for us than ever before. This solidarity across the barrier of death is called the communion of saints.
Biblical foundation
Hebrews depicts believers as already surrounded by 'a great cloud of witnesses' and approaching the heavenly assembly of 'the spirits of just men made perfect.' Christ affirms that God is 'not God of the dead, but of the living,' since the patriarchs live on to him.
Scripture references
Historical evidence
Early Christian catacomb art and inscriptions show believers requesting the prayers of martyrs, and by the second century local churches kept calendars commemorating martyrs' 'birthdays' into heaven for the community's veneration.
The Church Fathers
“We will gather together... to celebrate the birthday of his martyrdom.”