“Your false accusations of idolatry transgress the commandment against bearing false witness.”
I’ve seen South American and European Catholics bring gifts of food and drink and lay them in front of statues of Saints as gifts to them.
Does that qualify as “idolatry” in your book?
Cause it does in mine.
That sounds bizarre and certainly has nothing to do with Catholicism. Where in Europe have you seen this? Putting flowers in front of statues is a show of respect but no purpose is served by food or drink. It would have to be some kind of pagan syncretism.
Idolatry is displacement of God in one's heart with something else. God Himself raised up the Prophets, Apostles, and Saints to inspire His people. The normal, healthy veneration of saints has been universal within the Church since the time of the earliest Christians. It helps keep us mindful of God's power by serving as a well-proven channel of His miracles.