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Mary & the SaintsEssentials

Is St. Christopher still a saint?

Mary & the Saints

The short answer

Yes. His feast is no longer on the universal calendar, but he is still recognized as a saint. He was an early martyr about whom little is known; like many early saints he was acclaimed, not formally canonized, and his feast may still be kept locally.

Still a saint

St. Christopher is still recognized as a saint, though his feast no longer appears on the universal liturgical calendar.

Little known

He was an early martyr. His name means "Christ-bearer," reflecting the story that he carried the child Jesus across a river; he may have been known only by that story.

Acclaimed, not canonized

Canonization arose centuries after his time. Many early saints were acclaimed by Christian communities rather than formally canonized.

The calendar

The Church has removed the feasts of obscure saints from the universal calendar, but they remain saints, and their feasts may be kept by parishes named for them and by those devoted to them.