Do Catholics Worship Statues? Here’s the Truth

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Do Catholics worship statues of Jesus, Mary, and the saints? No. Catholic teaching makes an essential distinction between worship and veneration. Catholics worship God alone. Sacred images are used to remind us of Christ, Our Lady, the saints, and the realities of Heaven. The Bible itself shows that religious images are not inherently forbidden. God commanded sacred images such as the cherubim upon the Ark of the Covenant. What Scripture condemns is idolatry—giving divine worship to something that is not God. The Second Council of Nicaea defended the proper veneration of sacred images, and the Council of Trent reaffirmed Catholic teaching after sacred images were attacked during the Protestant Reformation. A statue points beyond itself. An idol replaces God. Subscribe to Catholic Voices and Prayers for clear Catholic teaching, traditional devotions, and prayers to help you remain faithful.