Canonization, in the Roman Catholic church, an act by which the pope publicly proclaims the sanctity of a deceased person, whom he thereupon proposes for the veneration of the universal church. Canonization is usually the final act of a lengthy process that begins with beatification. The decree of beatification is an official declaration that a person lived a holy life and can be venerated as one of the "blessed"; canonization awards the full title of "saint." In the Orthodox church, the process of canonization is less formal and is carried out by local synods of bishops.

The modern custom of canonization originated in the early Christian practice of paying public honor to the martyrs. For many centuries thereafter the title of saint was bestowed by popular acclamation. Not until a comparatively late period was a procedure equivalent to canonization adopted.

The earliest acknowledged instance of a solemn decree of canonization is that of Udalric or Ulric, bishop of Augsburg, declared a saint by Pope John XV in 993. Pope Alexander III in 1171 reserved the right of canonizing exclusively for the papacy. Pope Urban VIII, in two constitutions promulgated in 1625 and 1634, made more stringent regulations and laid down the canonization procedure that, with slight modifications, is still followed.

Canonization, without a special dispensation, cannot be decreed until 50 years have elapsed since the claimant's death. (this was actually In the 1980s, John Paul II changed it. It now takes only five years, which of course can still be waived if His Holiness wants.) The process that precedes the decree of canonization seeks to establish two characteristics of the claimant according to the testimony of competent witnesses: eminent virtues, technically referred to as virtues in a "heroic degree," and the performance of at least two authentic miracles. If the initial investigation is satisfactory, the pope takes the cause into his own hands and issues letters assigning the cause to a committee of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints, which then examines the virtues and miracles specifically. The claimant's cause is now said to be introduced. The introduction of the cause, that is, of the pontifical process, entitles the beatificandus, or candidate for beatification, to be called "venerable." Many candidates have reached this point in the proceedings and have failed to go beyond it. If the candidate passes successfully through the proceedings, a decree of beatification is pronounced. Before the further process of canonization can be instituted, witnesses must testify that the candidate has worked a certain number of miracles since beatification. The case then once more passes through the hands of several congregations, the last of which is held in the presence of the pope, when the final decree is agreed upon.

The ceremony of canonization occurs in Saint Peter's Basilica in the Vatican and is one of the most solemn and imposing of all papal functions.

Equipollent or equivalent canonization is founded upon proof of immemorial veneration, or of some papal sanction given to veneration, prior to the date of Urban VIII's constitution. In such cases the pope may at once pronounce the decree of canonization. Equipollent beatification is a summary process of a similar kind. The pope accepts the results of the preliminary process and at once decrees beatification. "Canonization,"

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(The text in italics were made by me)