Veneration or Dulia

Honor paid to God may be wholly spiritual and in the heart, and it may also be expressed in outward acts and signs. But honor paid to creatures is external, for creatures cannot read the heart. The respect we have inwardly for creatures does not truly honor them until it is shown to them, and this cannot be except in external signs. We honor creatures by words, deeds,sensible signs, salutations, tributes, statues, and so on.

Honor or veneration is owed to persons of excellence,whether this be a general or a particular excellence, whether it be official or personal excellence.

The honor and veneration due to men is called by the Greek name of dulia. This is distinct from the honor andveneration paid to God, which is latria.

There are no essentially different kinds of dulia, but it may be accidentally diversified by the various human relationships on which it is founded.