Categories of Sainthood

Holy Apostle · 29

One of the closest disciples of Jesus Christ, whom He sent to preach during His earthly life; and after the descent of the Holy Spirit upon them, they preached the Christian faith all over the world. There were initially twelve of them, and later an additional seventy.

Equal-to-the-Apostles · 8

A saint who, like the Apostles, spread the Christian faith in different places.

Holy Hierarch · 66

A bishop or archbishop who pleased God with his righteous life.

Right-believing · 5

A monarch or prince who was glorified for his piety, mercy, and care for strengthening the Christian faith, rather than for the authority he held in his earthly life or his noble lineage.

Holy Prophet · 21

One of God's chosen saints who, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, predicted the future, primarily about the Savior; they lived before the Savior's coming to earth.

Righteous · 20

A saint who led a righteous, God-pleasing life, living in the world as married person.

Venerable · 186

A righteous person who withdrew from worldly life in society and pleased God by living in chastity, fasting, and prayer, living in seclusion or a monastery.

Blessed · 12

A representative of the host of holy ascetics who chose a special feat – foolishness for Christ, a feat of outwardly appearing (i.e. visible madness), with the goal of achieving inner humility.

Unmercenary

A person who renounced the right to receive compensation for the sake of Christ—a trait shared by certain venerated Church healers who assisted others for the glory of God.

Great-martyr · 19

A saint who belongs to the ranks of martyrs, having endured especially cruel and prolonged sufferings and death for Christ.

Hieromartyr · 57

A clergymen who endured suffering for Christ.

Martyr · 130

A christian who endured cruel torture and even death for their faith in Jesus Christ.

Venerable Martyr · 21

A venerable saint, who endured suffering for Christ.