Contemporary Saints and Theological Infallibility: The Distinction Between Holiness, Charisms, and the Dogmatic Authority of the Church

The love of the Orthodox faithful for contemporary saints is one of the most consoling signs of Church life in recent decades. Saint Paisios the Athonite, Saint Porphyrios of Kavsokalyvia, Saint Iakovos Tsalikis, Saint Sophrony of Essex, and so many other illumined figures have become, for many people, living proof that holiness does not belong only to the distant past. The Grace of God continues to act within the Church: transforming people, comforting them, healing them, and leading them to repentance.

Yet the veneration of the saints also requires theological discernment. There is always the danger that reverence may turn into an uncritical use of their words. We often see believers invoking contemporary saints and elders in order to “close” every discussion: “The saint said it, so that settles it.” In this way, however, the saint ceases to be approached as a member of the Body of the Church and is turned, almost unconsciously, into an individual center of authority. A serious confusion then arises: holiness is identified with a general personal infallibility.

The Orthodox Church knows no such understanding. The saints are friends of God, bearers of Grace, models of…