Many world religions have elevated individuals with the title of "saint," which often simply means "pious one," "devout," or "holy one." The reference is to their moral lifestyle or teachings and their loyalty and obedience to the law codes established by the gods. Another term was "wise men" or "sages," often elderly men, who could be consulted for advice.
This is a companion discussion topic for the original article at https://www.worldhistory.org/article/2973/the-rise-of-the-christian-cult-of-the-saints/.
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