Theological Glossary
Six Christian traditions define Veneration below — each in its own words, paraphrased from its official documents. These are attributed positions, not assertions of fact.
The Catholic Church teaches that saints, relics, and holy images may be venerated with dulia (honor), and Mary with hyperdulia (highest honor) — the Church's traditional terms — but that latria, true worship, belongs to God alone. It holds that the honor shown to images passes to the prototype, Christ and his saints.
Source: CCC 2132; 971; 1192 ↗
The Orthodox Church teaches the veneration of icons, relics, and saints as windows to the heavenly reality they depict, definitively affirmed by the Seventh Ecumenical Council. It holds that veneration (proskynesis) is honor shown to holy persons and images, wholly distinct from the worship (latreia) owed to God alone.
Source: The Orthodox Faith, Vol. II ↗
Lutherans teach that saints are to be honored and remembered as examples of faith and as encouragement, but not invoked or venerated with religious devotion. They hold that Scripture sets forth Christ alone as mediator, and that the invocation of saints has no command, promise, or example in Scripture.
Source: Augsburg Confession, Art. XXI ↗
The Reformed tradition rejects the veneration of saints, images, and relics as contrary to the second commandment and to worship in spirit and truth. It holds that religious worship is to be given to God — Father, Son, and Holy Spirit — alone, and not to any creature.
Baptists reject the veneration of saints, images, and relics, teaching that worship belongs to God alone. They hold that while faithful Christians of the past may be remembered with gratitude, no religious honor is to be given to any creature.
Methodists give no religious veneration to saints, images, or relics, directing all worship to God. They hold that the faithful departed may be remembered with thanksgiving as examples, but that prayer and devotion belong to God alone through Christ.
Source: Articles of Religion, Art. XIV ↗
See how the traditions compare on related topics: