--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I understood this man was a Saint,\" he…" description: "\"“I understood this man was a Saint,\" he said. \"Something even rarer,\" said Dr. Urbino, \"An atheistic saint. But those are matters for God to decide.”\" ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/792/gabriel-garc-a-m-rquez-116_saint_i-understood-this-man-was-a-saint-he-sai_305850.jpg" --- # I understood this man was a Saint," he said. "Something… ![“I understood this man was a Saint," he said. "Something even rarer," said Dr. Urbino, "An atheistic saint. But those are matters for God to decide.” quote by Gabriel García Márquez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/792/gabriel-garc-a-m-rquez-116_saint_i-understood-this-man-was-a-saint-he-sai_305850.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/792/gabriel-garc-a-m-rquez-116_saint_i-understood-this-man-was-a-saint-he-sai_305850.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/792/gabriel-garc-a-m-rquez-116_saint_i-understood-this-man-was-a-saint-he-sai_305850.jpg) > ““I understood this man was a Saint," he said. "Something even rarer," said Dr. Urbino, "An atheistic saint. But those are matters for God to decide.”” [Gabriel García Márquez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabriel-garc-a-m-rquez/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A saint can be atheistic; ultimate moral worth is judged by divine authority, not belief. **In simple terms:** A saint can be atheistic; moral worth judged by God. Key Takeaway Consider moral character beyond belief. Themes philosophy theology ethics literature Mood contemplative inquisitive Type theological literary When to use this quote - interfaith dialogue - ethical debates - literary analysis - personal belief Key Concepts atheism saintliness divine judgment Questions to Reflect On - Can morality exist without belief in God? - How do cultures define sainthood? A Different Perspective Moral judgments are subjective. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Atheistic Saint](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/atheistic-saint-2912401/) [Man Saint](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/man-saint-443693/) [Saint](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/saint/) [Saint Matters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/saint-matters-2912403/) [Urbino Atheistic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/urbino-atheistic-2912402/) ## Related quotes > [“The man possessed a communal strength of body and soul, coupled with endless compassion and a desire to help the less fortunate of mind…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-campisi/the-man-possessed-a-communal-strength-of-body-and-soul-coupled-with/) [Mary Campisi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-campisi/) > [It is no more effort for a man to be a saint than to be a sinner; it becomes a mere matter of habit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerome-k-jerome/it-is-no-more-effort-for-a-man-to-be-a-saint-than-to-be-a-sinner-it/) [Jerome K. Jerome](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerome-k-jerome/) > [“A man becomes a saint not by conviction that he is better than sinners but by the realization that he is one of them,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-merton/a-man-becomes-a-saint-not-by-conviction-that-he-is-better-than/) [Thomas Merton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-merton/) > [“I declare this man a saint!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-cormier/i-declare-this-man-a-saint/) [Andrew Cormier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-cormier/) > [To be a great man and a saint to oneself, that's the only important thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-baudelaire/to-be-a-great-man-and-a-saint-to-oneself-that-s-the-only-important/) [Charles Baudelaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-baudelaire/) > [“The transition from the good man to the saint is a sort of revolution; by which one for whom all things illustrate and illuminate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-k-chesterton/the-transition-from-the-good-man-to-the-saint-is-a-sort-of-revolution/) [G.K. Chesterton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-k-chesterton/) > [Alongside the statement about one man's poison being another man's high, one might as well add that one man's saint can be another man's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-kesey/alongside-the-statement-about-one-man-s-poison-being-another-man-s/) [Ken Kesey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-kesey/) > [By loving, the man becomes saint and thus he becomes Destiny!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sorin-cerin/by-loving-the-man-becomes-saint-and-thus-he-becomes-destiny/) [Sorin Cerin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sorin-cerin/) > [To make a man a saint, it must indeed be by grace; and whoever doubts this does not know what a saint is, or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/to-make-a-man-a-saint-it-must-indeed-be-by-grace-and-whoever-doubts/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“And Beauvoir knew then the man was a saint. He's been touched by any number of medical men and women. All healers, all well…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louise-penny/and-beauvoir-knew-then-the-man-was-a-saint-he-s-been-touched-by-any/) [Louise Penny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louise-penny/) > [No man can become a saint in his sleep.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-drummond/no-man-can-become-a-saint-in-his-sleep/) [Henry Drummond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-drummond/) > [To be a great man and a saint for oneself, that is the only important thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-baudelaire/to-be-a-great-man-and-a-saint-for-oneself-that-is-the-only-important/) [Charles Baudelaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-baudelaire/) > [Make this man a saint now, OK?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elton-john/make-this-man-a-saint-now-ok/) [Elton John](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elton-john/) > [I knew a girl so ugly, she had a face like a saint-a Saint Bernard!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rodney-dangerfield/i-knew-a-girl-so-ugly-she-had-a-face-like-a-saint-a-saint-bernard/) [Rodney Dangerfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rodney-dangerfield/) > [Whoever does not seek the cross of Christ doesn't seek the glory of Christ.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-of-the-cross/whoever-does-not-seek-the-cross-of-christ-doesn-t-seek-the-glory-of/) [John of the Cross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-of-the-cross/) ## More by Gabriel García Márquez > [“The Captain looked at Fermina Daza and saw on her eyelashes the first glimmer of wintry frost. Then he looked at Florentino Ariza, his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabriel-garc-a-m-rquez/the-captain-looked-at-fermina-daza-and-saw-on-her-eyelashes-the-first/) [Gabriel García Márquez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabriel-garc-a-m-rquez/) > [“Courage did not come from the need to survive, or from a brute indifference inherited from someone else, but from a driving need for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabriel-garc-a-m-rquez/courage-did-not-come-from-the-need-to-survive-or-from-a-brute/) [Gabriel García Márquez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabriel-garc-a-m-rquez/) > [“He aprendido que un hombre sólo tiene derecho a mirar a otro hacia abajo cuando ha de ayudarle a levantarse.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabriel-garc-a-m-rquez/he-aprendido-que-un-hombre-s-lo-tiene-derecho-a-mirar-a-otro-hacia/) [Gabriel García Márquez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabriel-garc-a-m-rquez/) > [From the moment I wrote 'Leaf Storm' I realized I wanted to be a writer and that nobody could stop me and that the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabriel-garc-a-m-rquez/from-the-moment-i-wrote-leaf-storm-i-realized-i-wanted-to-be-a-writer/) [Gabriel Garcia Marquez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabriel-garc-a-m-rquez/) > [He sank into the rocking chair, the same one in which Rebecca had sat during the early days of the house to give embroidery…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabriel-garc-a-m-rquez/he-sank-into-the-rocking-chair-the-same-one-in-which-rebecca-had-sat/) [Gabriel Garcia Marquez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabriel-garc-a-m-rquez/) > [“Berhentilah sepi, hidup ini pendek.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabriel-garc-a-m-rquez/berhentilah-sepi-hidup-ini-pendek/) [Gabriel García Márquez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabriel-garc-a-m-rquez/) > [“They were people whose lives were slow, who did not see themselves growing old, or falling sick, or dying, but who disappeared little by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabriel-garc-a-m-rquez/they-were-people-whose-lives-were-slow-who-did-not-see-themselves/) [Gabriel García Márquez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabriel-garc-a-m-rquez/) > [“I didn't do any of what they told me,' she said, 'because the more I thought about it, the more I realized that it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabriel-garc-a-m-rquez/i-didn-t-do-any-of-what-they-told-me-she-said-because-the-more-i/) [Gabriel García Márquez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabriel-garc-a-m-rquez/) > [He thought about his people without sentimentalily, with a strick closing of his accounts with life, beginning to understand how much he really loved…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabriel-garc-a-m-rquez/he-thought-about-his-people-without-sentimentalily-with-a-strick/) [Gabriel Garcia Marquez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabriel-garc-a-m-rquez/) > [Why were you so old when we met? I answered with the truth: Age isn't how old you are but how old you feel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabriel-garc-a-m-rquez/why-were-you-so-old-when-we-met-i-answered-with-the-truth-age-isn-t/) [Gabriel Garcia Marquez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabriel-garc-a-m-rquez/) > [Between the covers of the books that no one had ever read again, in the old parchments damaged by dampness, a livid flower had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabriel-garc-a-m-rquez/between-the-covers-of-the-books-that-no-one-had-ever-read-again-in/) [Gabriel Garcia Marquez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabriel-garc-a-m-rquez/) > [I was asked the other day if I would be interested in the Nobel Prize, but I think that for me it would be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabriel-garc-a-m-rquez/i-was-asked-the-other-day-if-i-would-be-interested-in-the-nobel-prize/) [Gabriel Garcia Marquez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabriel-garc-a-m-rquez/) > [“Fear had absorbed her completely and remained there, fixed, tenacious, almost corporeal, as if it were some invisible person who had made up his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabriel-garc-a-m-rquez/fear-had-absorbed-her-completely-and-remained-there-fixed-tenacious/) [Gabriel García Márquez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabriel-garc-a-m-rquez/) > [“Today I know I was right. The adolescents of my generation, greedy for life, forgot in body and soul about their hopes for the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabriel-garc-a-m-rquez/today-i-know-i-was-right-the-adolescents-of-my-generation-greedy-for/) [Gabriel García Márquez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabriel-garc-a-m-rquez/) > [“...It was then, for the first time, that she understood above all her virtues what was in command was the vanity of a metaphysical…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabriel-garc-a-m-rquez/it-was-then-for-the-first-time-that-she-understood-above-all-her/) [Gabriel García Márquez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabriel-garc-a-m-rquez/) [Explore all 872 Gabriel García Márquez quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabriel-garc-a-m-rquez/) ## More Saint quotes > [Whoever does not seek the cross of Christ doesn't seek the glory of Christ.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-of-the-cross/whoever-does-not-seek-the-cross-of-christ-doesn-t-seek-the-glory-of/) [John of the Cross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-of-the-cross/) > [I knew a girl so ugly, she had a face like a saint-a Saint Bernard!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rodney-dangerfield/i-knew-a-girl-so-ugly-she-had-a-face-like-a-saint-a-saint-bernard/) [Rodney Dangerfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rodney-dangerfield/) > [Pray to Saint Philomena, What ever you ask from her, She will obtain for you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-gregory-xvi/pray-to-saint-philomena-what-ever-you-ask-from-her-she-will-obtain/) [Pope Gregory XVI](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-gregory-xvi/) > [Pray, Hope, and Don't Worry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pio-of-pietrelcina/pray-hope-and-don-t-worry/) [Pio of Pietrelcina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pio-of-pietrelcina/) > [God has often given His people favor in the sight of heathen masters (as Joseph and Daniel), and has magnified the sufficiency of His…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-w-pink/god-has-often-given-his-people-favor-in-the-sight-of-heathen-masters/) [Arthur W. Pink](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-w-pink/) > [Every Latter-day Saint should make the study of this book a lifetime pursuit. Otherwise, he is placing his soul in jeopardy and neglecting that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ezra-taft-benson/every-latter-day-saint-should-make-the-study-of-this-book-a-lifetime/) [Ezra Taft Benson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ezra-taft-benson/) > [I think being raised within a Mexican Catholic family made magical realism a very natural part of who I am as a person and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-olivas/i-think-being-raised-within-a-mexican-catholic-family-made-magical/) [Daniel Olivas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-olivas/) > [“Everything about me sounds wonderful and kind. (I'm pretty much a fuckin' saint).”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-edwards/everything-about-me-sounds-wonderful-and-kind-i-m-pretty-much-a/) [Helen Edwards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-edwards/) > [It takes all sorts to make a world - saints as well as soldiers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-anderson/it-takes-all-sorts-to-make-a-world-saints-as-well-as-soldiers/) [Anthony Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-anderson/) > [We can use our art to become political, to become something you want to talk about. 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I was very lucky because she…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bert-stern/i-was-in-the-south-of-france-in-saint-tropez-and-i-met-her-when-it/) [Bert Stern](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bert-stern/) > [Some of God's noblest sons, I think, will be selected from those that know how to take wealth, with all its temptations, and maintain…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-ward-beecher/some-of-god-s-noblest-sons-i-think-will-be-selected-from-those-that/) [Henry Ward Beecher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-ward-beecher/) > [Admired as a saint, defined by my rank. Combined with my strength, my time and my length.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lil-wayne/admired-as-a-saint-defined-by-my-rank-combined-with-my-strength-my/) [Lil Wayne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lil-wayne/) > [My decision to destroy the authority of the blacks in Saint Domingue (Haiti) is not so much based on considerations of commerce and money,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-bonaparte/my-decision-to-destroy-the-authority-of-the-blacks-in-saint-domingue/) [Napoleon Bonaparte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-bonaparte/) [Browse all 2,315 Saint quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/saint/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“I understood this man was a Saint,\" he said. \"Something even rarer,\" said Dr. Urbino, \"An atheistic saint. 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