One of the aspects of Christianity that I have the most difficult time with is the whole area of sainthood. I would brush it off as a control mechanism of the Catholic Church, where it apparently started, if the Saints were not widely accepted in most Christian denominations. Can anyone point me in the direction of research that address when and how they came to be? I am also disturbed by their intercessionary role and similarity to the minor gods of pre-Christian times.
I don’t know about other religions, but apparently Christianity and Islam needs martyrs. People in general need heroes. From that Christians get what they call “saints”: those who went before who were closer to God, were capable of super-human feats (miracles) and possibly died for their beliefs. Today the only requirement for sainthood is a couple of miracles (or is it three?). Some Muslims believe in what they call saints, but others view this as idolatry. In general, from what I recall, Muslims have what they refer to as “God’s friends”. I think this might be equivalent to saints in Christianity.
I was raised Irish catholic and then later became christian and am now an atheist. Some Christians view praying to saints as being the equivalent of praying to an idol (i.e. not God) and is considered heresy. In the Catholic religion, however, praying to saints is widely accepted. Each saint is canonized based on miracles (like gmatthews said) and they are considered the saint *of something.* For instance, I can remember my friend’s mother burying a statue of St. Joseph (upside down–because why wouldn’t you? lol) in her garden when she was trying to sell her house. Why St. Joseph? Because he is the patron saint of home and family. When your home sells–well, of course it was St. Joseph who did it! 
I’ve long thought Catholicism, in particular, is a thinly-disguised polytheism. The “saints” are the equivalent of minor deities.
Some of the “saint veneration” over the centuries has been ridiculous. I remember reading a few stories about Irish saints (I’m of part-Irish descent). In one tale, a female saint was beheaded for her faith. No problem! She picked her head up and carried it with her to her uncle, a bishop (who was also going to be declared a saint). He miraculously reattached her head to the rest of her, and all was well.
In another tale, a woman tempted the man who’d be remembered as “Saint Kevin” to (gasp) lose his virginity. Again, no problem! He proved his sanctity by drowning the woman in a well.
More seriously, I’m repelled by true stories like that of “Saint” Kateri Tekakwitha. Catholic missionaries – whose presence French conquerors had forced her tribe to accept – persuaded her and other young women to accept Catholicism, live together under their supervision, and practice masochistic self-torture. When one of the priests took a trip home to France, he brought them back some nice presents: new and better devices with which to torture themselves! This is “saintly”?
BDEhrman
FreedomBen
evgendob
Robert
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