Christian holiness, as understood within the Catholic tradition, is not merely an individual pursuit or abstract concept, but a deeply rooted and communal aspect of the faith that has evolved through history and is intimately connected with the teachings of Christ, the Church, and the lived experiences of saints and laypeople alike. At the core of the Catholic understanding of holiness is the belief in the universal call to holiness, which was first clearly articulated by the Second Vatican Council in Lumen Gentium (1964). In this document, the Council declared that "all Christians in any state or walk of life are called to the fullness of Christian life and to the perfection of charity" (Lumen Gentium, 40), emphasizing that holiness is not the exclusive domain of priests or religious, but is the shared vocation of all Christians. This teaching marked a significant shift from previous centuries, where holiness was often seen as a pursuit for those in religious orders or isolated monastic communities, but rather positions it as the fundamental goal of every baptized Christian.