"A saint is one who is at peace in himself in such a way as to be peace for men, his brothers...he pours out strength and comfort. In his presence one feels boundless peace and security. Near him everything is filled with light...He has a treasure of inexpressible joy hidden in earthen vessels...his presence is something which renews man, calms his nerves and extinguishes his anger, enlightens his mind."
+ Archmandrite Vasileios
I think there's something that can be said about married couples and this quote too. That the same experience of saintliness is possible with each other, and this joy and peace and holiness can also be extended to others through the encounter of the interiority of one. So marriage creates saints who learn to love by loving one exclusively in the presence of Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
This practice of love then also has an effect on others, because as a couple struggles and grows and lives out the promise of their wedding crowns, that love, while still being exercised in the exclusivity of married life, begins to extend in indirect ways to the love of all.
The married couple learn to become Christ with each other, and in union with God, they learn to love the kingdom, the restored world and other people because they have become Christ to the world.
