Los santos (latín sanctus; griego ἁγίος hagíos, hebreo qadoš 'elegido por Dios' o bien 'diferenciado', 'distinguido') son hombres o mujeres destacados en las diversas tradiciones religiosas por sus atribuidas relaciones especiales con las divinidades o por una particular elevación ética; este segundo sentido se preserva en tradiciones espirituales no necesariamente teístas. La influencia de un santo supera el ámbito de su religión cuando la aceptación de su moralidad adquiere componentes universales: por ejemplo, es el caso de Teresa de Calcuta o Gandhi, y, en general, al menos hasta cierto punto, de todos los fundadores de las grandes religiones.

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A saint, also historically known as a hallow, is a person who is recognized as having an exceptional degree of holiness or likeness to God. In Christianity, the words saint and hallow have a wide variety of meanings, depending on the context and denomination. The original Christian denotation was any believer who is "in Christ" and in whom Christ dwells, whether in Heaven or on Earth. In Anglican, Roman Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, Lutheran, and Oriental Orthodox doctrine, all of their faithful deceased in Heaven are considered to be saints, but some are considered worthy of greater honour or emulation; official ecclesiastical recognition, and consequently veneration, is given to some saints through the process of canonization in the Catholic Church or glorification in the Eastern Orthodox Church. While the English word saint originated in Christianity, historians of religion now use the appellation "in a more general way to refer to the state of special holiness that many religions attribute to certain people", with the Jewish tzadik, the Islamic walī, the Hindu rishi or Sikh guru, and the Buddhist arhat or bodhisattva also being referred to as saints. Depending on the religion, saints are recognized either by official ecclesiastical declaration or by popular acclamation (see Folk saint).

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