Making Martyrs East and West
Canonization in the Catholic and Russian Orthodox Churches

Cathy Caridi (Author)

9781501768248

Paperback / softback, published 15 January 2023

210 pages
22.9 x 15.2 x 1.6 cm, 0.454 kg

The book discusses what a martyr is, the method by which they are recognized and added to the calendar, and the authority which is able to do this. Without a clear understanding, there is a risk that the mutual recognition of saints might produce some initial goodwill but would create greater problems and suspicion in the longer term.

In Making Martyrs East and West, Cathy Caridi examines how the practice of canonization developed in the West and in Russia, focusing on procedural elements that became established requirements for someone to be recognized as a saint and a martyr. Caridi investigates whether the components of the canonization process now regarded as necessary by the Catholic Church are fundamentally equivalent to those of the Russian Orthodox Church and vice versa, while exploring the possibility that the churches use the same terminology and processes but in fundamentally different ways that preclude the acceptance of one church's saints by the other. Making Martyrs East and West will appeal to scholars of religion and church history, as well as ecumenicists, liturgists, canonists, and those interested in East-West ecumenical efforts.