How Does the Catholic Church Make Someone a Saint? The Canonization Process Explained
The canonization process is one of the most rigorous investigations in any institution on earth. It can take decades — sometimes centuries — and requires verified miracles, exhaustive historical research, and the final approval of the Pope himself. Here's a complete guide to how the Catholic Church declares someone a saint.
What Is Canonization?
Canonization is the Church's official declaration that a person is in heaven and worthy of universal veneration. It's not the Church "making" someone a saint — it's the Church recognizing, after careful investigation, that someone lived a life of heroic virtue and now intercedes for us from heaven.
The process is governed by the Congregation for the Causes of Saints in Rome.
The Four Stages of Canonization
Stage 1: Servant of God
The process begins at least 5 years after the person's death (to prevent emotional impulse). The local bishop opens a formal investigation called the "diocesan inquiry," gathering testimony from people who knew the candidate and examining all their writings. If the evidence is compelling, the case file is sent to Rome and the candidate receives the title "Servant of God."
Stage 2: Venerable
The Congregation for the Causes of Saints studies the case and produces a formal report (the positio). If they determine the person lived a life of "heroic virtue" — extraordinary faith, hope, charity, and the moral virtues — the Pope declares them "Venerable."
Stage 3: Blessed (Beatification)
For beatification, one verified miracle is required (unless the person was a martyr). The miracle must be:
- Instantaneous and complete
- Medically inexplicable — reviewed by an independent medical board
- Directly attributed to the candidate's intercession (someone prayed to them specifically)
Once beatified, the person can be venerated locally (in their diocese or religious order) but not universally. They receive the title "Blessed."
Stage 4: Saint (Canonization)
For full canonization, a second verified miracle is required (occurring after beatification). The Pope then formally declares the person a Saint in a solemn ceremony at St. Peter's Basilica — the same basilica you can visit on a Catholic pilgrimage to Rome.
Once canonized, the saint is inscribed in the universal calendar and can be venerated by the entire Church worldwide.
How Long Does Canonization Take?
The process varies enormously:
- Saint John Paul II — 9 years (beatified 2011, canonized 2014), one of the fastest in modern history
- Saint Padre Pio — 34 years (died 1968, canonized 2002)
- Saint Joan of Arc — 489 years (died 1431, canonized 1920)
- Saint Hildegard of Bingen — 834 years (died 1179, declared Doctor of the Church 2012)
What Counts as a Miracle?
The Catholic Encyclopedia defines miracles as events that transcend the powers of natural creation. In canonization cases, the miracles are almost always medical healings because they can be objectively verified by independent doctors.
The Vatican's medical board includes non-Catholic and even non-believing doctors — the standard of evidence is intentionally high.
Saints You Can Connect With Today
At Catholically, we carry authenticated relics and patron saint medals of many canonized saints — all blessed by the Pope in Rome. Wearing a saint's medal or carrying their relic is a tangible way to ask for their intercession.
Browse All Saints Collection →
The Role of the "Devil's Advocate" (Promotor Fidei)
One of the most fascinating — and often misunderstood — roles in the canonization process was the Promotor Fidei, commonly called the "Devil's Advocate." This official was tasked with arguing against a candidate's sainthood, ensuring that every claim of holiness was rigorously tested before the Church made its final declaration.
The office of the Devil's Advocate was formally established in 1587 by Pope Sixtus V. For nearly four centuries, this figure served as the skeptic in the room — questioning witnesses, challenging miracle claims, and raising every possible objection. The goal was not to prevent saints from being canonized but to guarantee that only those truly worthy received the honor.
In 1983, Pope John Paul II significantly reformed the process through the apostolic constitution Divinus Perfectionis Magister. The formal role of Devil's Advocate was largely replaced by a more collaborative investigative approach. Critics have noted that the pace of canonizations increased dramatically afterward — John Paul II alone canonized 482 saints during his pontificate, more than all his predecessors in the previous five centuries combined.
Famous Contested Canonization Cases
Not every path to sainthood is straightforward. Some causes have been fiercely debated for decades — or even centuries — before reaching a resolution. These contested cases reveal just how seriously the Church takes the canonization process.
Padre Pio (St. Pio of Pietrelcina): Perhaps no modern saint generated more controversy during the investigation phase. During his lifetime, Padre Pio was twice investigated by the Vatican, temporarily forbidden from celebrating public Mass, and accused of fabricating his stigmata. Yet the faithful never wavered. After his death in 1968, the cause moved forward, and he was canonized in 2002. Today he is one of the most beloved saints worldwide.
Joan of Arc: Burned at the stake as a heretic in 1431, Joan's rehabilitation trial in 1456 overturned the original verdict. Yet it took until 1920 — nearly 500 years — for her to be canonized. The political complexity of her case (she was condemned by a Church court allied with the English) made it one of the longest and most debated causes in history. You can learn more in our dedicated article about Joan of Arc.
Pope Pius XII: His cause for canonization, opened in 1967, remains one of the most controversial. Debate continues over his actions during World War II and the Holocaust. The cause has advanced to "Venerable" but faces significant opposition from both within and outside the Church.
How Long Does the Average Canonization Take?
The canonization process typically spans decades, and sometimes centuries. On average, the journey from death to sainthood takes about 100-150 years, though modern reforms have accelerated some causes significantly.
Here are some notable timelines that illustrate the range:
- St. Peter Faber — 456 years (died 1546, canonized 2013 by Pope Francis through "equivalent canonization")
- St. Hildegard of Bingen — 833 years (died 1179, formally canonized and declared Doctor of the Church in 2012)
- St. Mother Teresa of Calcutta — 19 years (died 1997, canonized 2016 — one of the fastest modern causes)
- St. John Paul II — 9 years (died 2005, canonized 2014 — among the fastest ever for a pope)
The speed of recent canonizations has led some theologians to call for a return to longer waiting periods, arguing that distance from a candidate's life allows for more objective evaluation. Others counter that faster processes serve the pastoral needs of the faithful. To explore how these saints are honored with sacred relics, see our complete guide to Catholic relics.
