Does the Christian worship of saints descend from the polytheistic traditions of ancient Greece and Rome?

by [deleted]
[deleted]

Not really, no. The cult of saints did incorporate some aspects of this, but is largely unique.

See:

  • Brown, Peter. The Cult of the Saints: Its Rise and Function in Latin Christianity. Haskell Lectures on History of Religions 2. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1981.
GoldieMarondale

Saints were predominantly holy figures who were seen as having a special connection with God and, as a result, could act as intercessors on an individual's behalf. For the common man, God and Christ were unattainably perfect but these holy figures were something to aspire to and, as humans, something they could relate to.

It isn't so much a "worship" of saints, but a veneration and a respect. A desire to replicate and use these people for personal gain.

The Books of Hours which became increasingly popular in the Middle Ages is evidence of this. People would personalized these books to include saints relevant to their personal circumstances, the patron saint of childbirth was common in prayer books given as wedding gifts.