The saints are regarded not merely as highly revered figures but as God’s chosen ones, endowed with a unique spiritual nature and mission.

God’s Chosen: The Sacred Hierarchy and Mission of Saints

The saints are regarded not merely as highly revered figures but as God’s chosen ones, endowed with a unique spiritual nature and mission. They represent a distinct caste of the elect who have undergone a process of inner purification and spiritual growth, enabling them to attain a singular closeness to God and to act as His instruments on earth.

Thus, according to the text from file link txt, true holiness arises after the cleansing of the heart and ceaseless devotion to God:
"You must first purify your heart and only then strive for the heights of divine contemplation. This state of a cleansed heart and unyielding dedication to God is holiness, because in a pure heart the Holy Spirit usually takes up residence. A person then becomes a prophet, becomes a servant of God; he essentially no longer lives for himself and, like the Apostle Paul, can say, 'It is not I who live, but Christ lives in me.' His thoughts, words, actions, and appearance are all Christ’s. He becomes a living Christ, because he is a part of the Body of Christ, fully integrated as a member of the Church. And if the Lord does not immediately take him to Heaven, it is only for one reason – that, perhaps, he possesses some special gifts with which he can serve God on earth, that is, in service to people." (source: link txt)

Within this special caste, there is also a hierarchy—levels of spiritual calling and closeness to God are so diverse that some of the chosen are destined for great deeds, while others may serve their neighbors and the entire Church through their own sanctity. This stratification is presented in the source from file link txt:
"Among these chosen of God, some are of the first calling, so to speak, others of the second, and others of the third; according to their inner approach to God and His favor towards them, and their designation for the accomplishment of God’s works – all of whom we call God’s saints. According to the wise Seneca, friendship between good men and God is the virtue that unites them. More precisely, it is a spiritual union with God, similar to the marital bond between husband and wife, it is the union of Christ with the members of His church (Eph. 5:20–33). For by his deeds, a good man is God’s disciple and a zealous imitator of Him, since we all as Christians either are already, in truth, God’s offspring or are only potentially to become so." (source: link txt)

Regarding the role of the saints in the religious context, they act as active helpers of believers, serving as intercessors and protectors. Their gracious presence, expressed through icons, relics, and tradition, helps to connect the faithful with Christ. The function of the saints is not to mediate between God and humanity in the sense some other concepts understand this role, but rather to serve as friends and co-workers in the service of Christ, aiding in the salvation of those around them and in the spiritual renewal of the Church. This is stated in the source from file link txt:
"Saints are our intercessors and protectors in the heavens and therefore active and living members of the earthly, militant Church. Their gracious presence in the Church, outwardly manifested in their icons and relics, surrounds us like a prayerful cloud of God’s glory. It does not separate us from Christ, but brings us closer to Him, uniting us with Him. They are not mediators between God and people who would replace the One Mediator, Christ, as some Protestants claim, but rather our fellow intercessors, friends, and helpers in our service to Christ and in our communion with Him." (source: link txt)

Finally, the status of the saints has a cosmic dimension: they are regarded as participants in Divine glory and, according to the text from file link txt, their place is reserved alongside the Angels, and they themselves will partake in the judgment of the world. This underscores that the elite status of the saints is tied not only to their earthly life but also to their participation in eternal, heavenly processes:
"The Lord has called the saints participants in Divine glory: 'If anyone serves Me, My coming will follow that person; and where I am, there also will my servant be' (John 12:26). He Himself sanctified them and brought them into union with Himself. 'For God is not the God of the dead, but of the living. For all are alive to Him' (Luke 20:38). The saints 'are as equal as Angels, and as sons of God...' (Luke 20:36). ... The saints encircle the throne of God, behold Him, and together with the Angels they will judge the world (1 Corinthians 6:2)." (source: link txt)

Thus, the status of the saints as a special caste of the elect implies their unique spiritual position, acquired through inner purification and closeness to God, which not only makes them models of holiness but also active participants in the salvific mission – leading people to Heaven, supporting the Church, and providing indispensable assistance in the spiritual lives of believers.