The veneration of the saints is an element of Church spirituality which can be shown to be present in the whole of tradition. At one time it dominated the liturgy and the practices of the faithful so strongly that it was regarded as a hall-mark of Catholic piety.

1. The magisterium of the Church expressly approved the practice at Trent, seeking both to explain itself to the Reformers and to eliminate abuses and excesses on the Catholic side. (D 984–8). The doctrine of the Council is not given as …