The Saints are dear brothers and sisters who have struggled and departed to Paradise. They are not dead but are sleeping, as our Lord said (Jn 11:11) and as St. Paul called them (1 Thess 4:13).

Our early fathers spoke clearly and in detail about our relationship with Saints. The Saints in Paradise are the triumphant members of the same one church in which we are members.They departed from earth, but did not leave the church; their love toward their brothers and sisters of the faith did not cease by their departure. The death of their bodies does not sever the bond of mutual love between them and us; on the contrary it increases in depth and strength. Their prayers for the salvation of the entire world never cease. They pray for us, and we venerate them as they are our holy and dear friends.

We venerate the icons of saints and put them on the iconstasis. We hang iconstasis on church walls, doors, and our homes as a sign of our communion with them in the Lord Jesus Christ.

Ref: http://www.suscopts.org/