Question Two: On Dulia

S. Th. II-II, q. 103.

836. Dulia (service) is taken: a) in a very broad sense, insofar as it says reverence exhibited to any lord and subjection to him, and thus it includes religion, by which we are subjected to divine lordship and which is eminent dulia on account of the excellence of that lordship (a. 3);

b) in a stricter sense, insofar as it says reverence exhibited to the excellence of any man, and thus it is divided into various species according to the various excellence which is found in saints, father, king, commander, teacher, etc., for example, civil dulia, sacred dulia, natural, supernatural, etc.

This is distinguished from latria because service is owed to God and to man under a different account, just as lordship belongs to God under one account (universal through essence because He is creator) and to man under another (particular through participation). Among the various species the first and more perfect is hyperdulia, by which we exhibit worship to the Blessed Virgin Mary because of the affinity which she has to God, as Mother of God (a. 4, ad 2, and III, q. 25, a. 5).

c) in the strictest sense, insofar as it says the reverence which a servant exhibits to a lord, and thus it is only one species of observance (a. 4).

837. The honor of dulia supposes some superiority or excellence. - It is not indeed necessary that he who is honored be more excellent than the one honoring, but perhaps than certain others, or even than the one honoring himself in some respect and not simply. And thus equals can be honored by equals and inferiors by superiors (a. 2). Moreover due honor is internal and external at the same time, because it is not sufficient that we honor superiors before God, but it is also necessary that we honor them before others (a. 1).

838. Honor or worship of supernatural dulia is owed to the Blessed as friends of God, who have supernatural excellence, virtue, and merits, and are our intercessors. Whence we ought to revere them 1) as lords and esteem ourselves happy if they deign to receive us among their servants; 2) as intercessors on whom we are dependent (can. 1276).

Public worship of dulia is licitly exhibited only to Saints recognized for the universal Church by solemn decree, or common consent, or immemorial course of time; and to the Blessed, by special concession of the Roman Pontiff, only in those places or by those persons to whom it was conceded (can. 1256 and 1277).

Private worship is licitly exhibited to servants of God or venerable persons who have died with a reputation for sanctity or martyrdom, indeed even to baptized infants, for example, a private vow or fast in their honor.

The same holds concerning their images and relics (can. 1279, 1283, 1287). Thus, for example, images of servants of God can in no way be placed on altars; nor outside an altar be painted with halos, rays, or other signs of sanctity; likewise lamps cannot be lit at their tomb; yet they can be displayed on the walls of a church or in colored glass or in painted tablets, provided they carry before themselves no indication of worship or sanctity (S. C. R. 14 Aug. 1894); likewise private worship can be exhibited to relics of servants of God by carrying them with oneself, kissing them, applying them to the sick, etc.