It literally means to enter into a list or canon. Ecclesially it is equivalent to recognizing as a significant figure, protector and model of Christian life, people who lived in the world and died with a reputation for holiness or with the heroism of martyrdom. In the Code of Canon Law, the Church says that “the causes of canonization of the servants of God are governed by a peculiar pontifical law.” (c.1403)
In the Apostolic Constitution “Divinus Redemptoris Magister”, of January 25, 1983, Pope John Paul II indicated the latest norms of the Church for the official declaration of the holiness of the blessed. John Paul II recalled that “since time immemorial, the Apostolic See proposes to the imitation, veneration and invocation of the faithful some Christians who stood out for the brilliance of their virtues.”
Canonization, then, is governed by traditions, uses and also by specific ecclesial norms. It leads to the declaration of saints (consecrated) to certain servants of God, models of virtue and evangelical perfection. In other words, the Church venerates in a special way those men of God who, in their earthly life, were faithful reflections of the mystery of the Incarnate Word: they were chosen, witnesses, messengers, imitators of Christ, models.
1. History
The saints were originally proclaimed by the faithful people as such. It was the “vox populi” (popular acclamation) that canonized them. As the centuries passed, in order to avoid abuses and overly political or interested proclamations, the bishops took responsibility for such a declaration. Many gave norms in their dioceses for the veneration of the dead. A holiday was assigned to them, usually the anniversary of their death or martyrdom. Time was in charge of consolidating or extinguishing such devotion and admiration.
In 993, Ulric of Ausburg was declared a saint in the first explicitly and directly approved canonization by a pope. John XV, as Bishop of Rome, acted with a declaration of sanctity and extended it to the other Christian regions.
Gregory IX formalized the process and practice years later. In 1234 canonization was reserved for the Pope alone. In the year 1588, Pope Sixtus V placed these processes in the hands of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints and issued restrictive procedural rules on the canonization processes and their requirements.
Urban VIII determined new norms on the doctrine and sanctity of those who can be canonized. His slogans were later clarified and commented on by Prospero Lambertini, who would be Pope under the name of Benedict XIV. He wrote his work: “Beatification of the Servants of God and canonization of the Blessed”.
On later occasions, these norms were outlined. Pius XI, in his Motu Proprio “Gií da qualche tempo”, of February 6, 1930, renewed the Congregation of Rites and on January 4, 1939 published the order of the two obligatory steps for beatifications and canonizations.
Paul VI, with the Apostolic Letter “Sanctitas clarior, of March 19, 1967, determined the new steps of a canonical process and with the Constitution “?Sacra Congregazione dei Riti”, of May 8, 1969, organized the new Dicastery in charge of Divine Worship and the study of the aforementioned causes.
The positions of the popes and the number of beatifications and canonizations depended on each pontificate. But it was increasing over the centuries, both due to the increase in the Christian population and the extension of the Church, as well as due to the new circumstances of the times. The most prolific in this sense was the pontificate of John Paul II. From the time he was elected in 1978 to July 1997, Pope John Paul II had proclaimed 278 saints (245 martyrs and 33 confessors). He also beatified 770 Blesseds (579 martyrs and 191 confessors). At the end of the pontificate John Paul II had raised to the altars as Blessed more than 1,200 models of Christian life and canonized some 350 Blessed.
There is no precise count of who has been proclaimed saints since the first centuries. In 1988, to celebrate its fourth centenary, the Congregation for the Causes of Saints published the first “Index ac status Causarum”. This book and the supplements that followed it are considered the definitive index of all the causes that have been presented before the Congregation since its institution.
2. Process
The path that the Catholic Church requires for the canonization of a servant of God is long and laborious. It tends to seek maximum objectivity and rigor in such ecclesial actions.
The first stage is diocesan. It leads to recognizing the virtues of a servant of God and his character as a model of life. After a process with witnesses, notaries and judges, and a multitude of documents collected, the documentation, duly ordered and presented, is delivered to the Roman Congregation for the Causes of Saints.
2.1. venerable
The first stage is to study and recognize with a pontifical document the heroicity of the virtues or the authenticity of the martyrdom. A pontifical decision in the form of a Decree on the “heroicity of virtues”, declares the servant “Venerable”. This means that he is presented as an example of heroic virtues. That is why the Pope signs an explicit document.
2.2. Beatification
A second decision consists of declaring him “Blessed” or Blessed, which means that he is considered by the pontifical authority already in heaven, that is, in eternal Beatitude. Therefore, it is authorized to offer public worship in the Church, although restricted to a place, region, religious Institute or Diocese. Images of him can be displayed on the altar and in suitable places to be venerated and invoked.
In addition to the personal attributes of charity and heroic virtues, it is required for this step that a miracle can be clearly attributed to him, obtained through his intercession and performed after his death. The required miracle must be tested and approved through a special canonical action, which includes the opinion of a committee of doctors (although some of them are not believers) and of theologians who certify its credibility. The miracle is not required if the beatifiable person is that of a martyr.
23. Canonization
The third level is already the declaration of holiness before the whole Church and the proclamation as a heavenly intercessor, as well as an admirable model. With the canonization, the Blessed becomes considered a saint and can be the object of public and official worship throughout the Church.
For the canonization, another miracle attributed to the intercession of the Blessed and occurred after his beatification is needed. The modalities of verification of the miracle are the same as those followed in the beatification.
The Pope can waive these requirements. Beatification and canonization compromise pontifical infallibility.
3. Employers and Doctors
Some saints deserve special consideration and declaration by the Pontifical Authority for their influence (Patrons) or for their wisdom (the Doctors).
3.1. The Patrons
They are declared special protectors of a certain ecclesial task or place in the Church. They are the singular protectors, as well as models.
There are Patrons who have been proclaimed as such by a pope with a Bull or Motu proprio. For example, Saint Benedict is declared Patron Saint of Europe in 1964 by Paul VI and Saint John Bta. De la Salle Patron of Christian educators for the Brief of Pius XII “Quod ait” of May 15, 1950.
Other Patrons or special protections have arisen from popular piety: St. Monica is the Patron Saint of Christian mothers, Saint Valentine of lovers or Saint Christopher of drivers. Patronage simply indicates that the Church regards a certain saint as a special protector and invites the faithful interested in that aspect or from that place to increase their prayers and increase their desire to imitate the virtues of the revered servant.
3.2. The doctors
The title of “Doctor of the Church” is usually given by a Pope, and sometimes by a Council, to canonized figures who shone for their doctrine and their luminous resonance in the Church.
Of the eight original Doctors, four were Fathers from the West: Saint Gregory the Great, Saint Ambrose, Saint Augustine, and Saint Jerome (proclaimed Doctors in 1298), and four were from the East, being proclaimed such in 1568: Saint Athanasius, Saint John Chrysostom, Saint Basil the Great, and Saint Gregory of Nazianzus.
Then various Popes and for various reasons increased the list, until reaching 33 at the end of the 20th century, of which three are women: Saint Teresa of í vila, Saint Catherine of Siena and Saint Therese of Lisieux.
Doctors have been models of science and teaching. They have meant for the Church a luminous source of doctrine and evangelizing clarity. The ecclesial authority, by recognizing them as such, demands special attention to their writings and the orientation of their teachings.
4. Value of the saints
All the Saints and Blesseds of the Church carried out a basic mission in the Church: to lead the “Christian life” to perfection and faithfully fulfill Christ’s mandate: “Be perfect as my Heavenly Father is perfect” (Mt. 5. 48). We Christians are destined to fight for that perfection, that is, to reach enough holiness to deserve divine mercy and the grace of perpetual friendship with the Lord.
The exemplary figures have been a strong support for believers of all times, not only for their merits in the Mystical Body and for the mystery of the “communion of saints”, but also for the psychological and sociological power of the example of which saints are source.
The History of the Church has always been associated with those figures that constitute a cast or “saints” that guard the heritage of the Gospel. That is why the main figures were those mentioned in the documents of the first evangelists: the Apostles, Saint Joseph, Saint John the Baptist, Saint Paul, Saint Elizabeth, Saint Magdalene. Even in medieval times there were figures from the Old Testament that deserved unique hagiographic relief: Saint Abraham, Saint David, Saint Elijah, although these biblical figures deserved a different consideration.
A special claim, due to its impact on Christian piety, had the names of the three “Holy” angels that appear in Scripture: Gabriel, Michael and Raphael. Christian piety personalized them as special celestial protectors of the Holy Church of Jesus.
That enormous pleiad of exemplary names of ecclesial history is of singular importance for the lives of Christians of all kinds, because among the exalted figures there are men and women, children and the elderly, rich and beggars, nobles and slaves, whites and blacks, wise and ignorant.
5. Catechesis and Saints
Precisely because of this fruitfulness and variety, the life of the saints is something that should challenge catechists and educators of the faith.
First, based on their spiritual influence on Christians and to personally imitate their virtues, especially of…