Editorial Policy

How entries are written

Every entry is researched from primary and standard reference sources, then reviewed by our curator, Pastor Lyvers, before it is published. Sources are listed at the end of each entry. We prefer:

• Scripture, cited by book, chapter and verse
• the Roman Martyrology and the General Roman Calendar
• records of the Vatican and the Dicastery for the Causes of Saints
• the official websites of shrines and basilicas
• standard reference works, such as Butler's Lives of the Saints and the Catholic Encyclopedia

How miracle accounts are labeled

Stories about the saints range from well-documented history to legends written down centuries later. We label each account so readers know which is which:

• Approved: a miracle formally accepted by the Church, for example in a cause for beatification or canonization.
• Reported: a claim recorded by witnesses or a shrine that has not been formally judged.
• Traditional: a story handed down in the saint's legend, often first written long after the saint's lifetime.

Point of view

Saints Encyclopedia is a reference work. We describe the teaching and practice of the Catholic and Orthodox churches accurately and in their own terms, for example: "Catholics pray this novena for nine days before the feast." Where Protestant Christians understand the saints differently, entries note it respectfully. Our curator writes from an evangelical tradition, and we say so openly.

Prayers

Prayer texts are given in traditional or public-domain forms where possible, with their source. We don't invent prayers and attribute them to saints.

Images

Illustrations on this site are original artwork made with AI image tools in a consistent devotional style, and they are labeled "Illustration." They are not historical portraits. We don't use AI images that imitate photographs of modern saints.

Corrections

If you find an error, please contact us with the correction and a source. We review every report and update the entry's date when we change it.