Questions / Mary and the saints

Do Catholics worship statues?

Church teaching

Answered on video by Ascension Presents

Video: Do Catholics Worship Saints?, Ascension Presents, published Jun 21, 2017. Checked 10 October 2026. Loads from YouTube (privacy-enhanced mode) only when you press play. Watch on YouTube

In short: No. The honor goes to the person the image shows, not to the plaster. CCC 2132

The answer, in writing

Church teaching

Christian veneration of images is not contrary to the commandment against idols: “the honor rendered to an image passes to its prototype.” CCC 2132

It is a respectful veneration, not the adoration due to God alone. CCC 2132

Our words

Nobody’s praying to plaster. It’s like kissing a photo of someone you love.

Watch another on this

Play video: Do Catholics WORSHIP Mary? w/ Fr. Gregory Pine, OP, Fr. Gregory Pine, OP on Pints with Aquinas, from Matt Fradd, 7 min. Loads from YouTube when pressed.

Do Catholics worship Mary?

Play video: Are Statues in Catholic Churches "Graven Images?", Catholic Answers, from Catholic Answers Live, 11 min. Loads from YouTube when pressed.

Aren’t statues and icons forbidden images?

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Related questions

Do Catholics worship Mary? Fr. Gregory Pine, OP on Pints with Aquinas · 7 minIf there is one mediator, why ask saints to pray? Catholic Answers · 8 minAren’t statues and icons forbidden images? Catholic Answers · 11 minDid Jesus have brothers and sisters? Dr. Brant Pitre · 17 min

Sources on this page

How we know · 1 Catechism paragraph

1. Catechism of the Catholic Church, paragraphs 2132 (official text on vatican.va).

Stone & Incense restates Church teaching in plain words and cites every teaching claim. Our own wording is not an official Church text. Found a mistake? Report an errorCorrections.