How Does Someone Become a Saint?

Written by

René Ostberg

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Britannica Editors

History

In Roman Catholicism the process of declaring someone a saint is called canonization. According to the church’s law, the process cannot begin until five years after a person’s death, although this requirement can be waived by the pope. Mother Teresa, for example, died in 1997, but her cause for canonization was opened in 1999 after Pope John Paul II waived three years of the waiting period. Generally, there are three steps to canonization.

Examination

The first step involves examining a person’s life for evidence of the individual’s holiness. This investigation must be opened by the bishop of the deceased person’s local diocese, although anyone or any group, such as a religious order, can petition the diocese on the person’s behalf. If the cause for canonization is accepted and opened by the diocese, the person is recognized as a Servant of God. People who have received such recognition include Dorothy Day, Nicholas Black Elk, Thea Bowman, and Pedro Arrupe.

If the evidence for the person’s cause is favorable, it is presented to the pope, who approves the Servant of God’s candidacy for sainthood and declares the person Venerable. People who have been declared Venerable include Catherine McAuley, Augustus Tolton, Antoni Gaudí, Lucia dos Santos, and Matteo Ricci.

Beatification

Martyrs

Martyrs such as Ignacio Ellacuría and Dorothy Stang voluntarily suffered death rather than deny their religion. Because their sacrifice is considered sufficient proof of their holiness, martyrs are declared Blessed without the beatification process. However, martyrs require at least one miracle before they can be canonized.

The next step, beatification, involves verifying a miracle that has been attributed to the Venerable person’s intercession. This verification process is similar to that of the examination in the first step. If the miracle is confirmed as authentic—for example, if there is no scientific basis for its occurrence, such as an inexplicable healing from a terminal illness—the pope grants the beatification and the Venerable person is declared Blessed. People who have been declared Blessed include Edmund Ignatius Rice, Michael J. McGivney, and Pope John Paul I.

Canonization

The final step involves verifying a second miracle, after which a Blessed person can be declared a Saint. The saint is usually ascribed a feast day (typically the saint’s date of death), which is added to the Catholic Church’s general calendar and commemorated each year. People who were declared saints in the 21st century include Carlo Acutis, Óscar Romero, Pope John Paul II, Josephine Bakhita, and John Henry Newman. See also Britannica’s List of Saints.