Who are the canonized saints?

Answer 1

Before the 12th century there was no official system for canonization. Saints were declared by popular acclamation, usually with the approval of a bishop. In the 12th century the power to declare saints was removed from local control and placed with the pope. Today the office in Rome that investigates candidates for sainthood is called the Sacred Congregation for the Causes of Saints. Saints declared before the 12th century are thus called pre-congregational saints. The Congregation investigates possible saints and makes recommendations to the pope.

Answer 2

Pope John Paul II canonized 110 saints. For a complete list click on this link.

Answer 3

The canonization process is an investigation the Catholic Church carries out to determine if candidates are actually in Heaven and worthy of veneration. Contrary to the beliefs of many non Catholics, the Church does not make saints, it only verifies them. Only God can make a saint.

Answer 4

No, the canonization process has been in place since the 12th century. Before then, any bishop could declare a saint. Now only the pope can do that and only after an exhaustive study by the Sacred Congregation for the Causes of Saints. Those declared saints earlier are called pre-congregational saints.

Answer 5

At present, in the Roman Catholic Church, a canonized saint is a deceased person who has been declared by the Vatican (the current Pope) to be an officially-recognized saint.

Early Christian saints were not formally canonized. They were declared a saint by popular acclamation, usually with the approval of the local bishop. In the 12th century that was changed and all canonizations are carried out by the Pope.

There are four major steps a candidate for canonization passes through today:

First, you have to die. Once you have been dead at least 5 years a cause for sainthood can be opened. An investigation is conducted, by an accredited expert in this field, into the life of the candidate and the investigator's report is handed to the local bishop. Further study is undertaken and the expanded report is sent to the Sacred Congregation for the Causes of Saints in Rome, which will study the file and, if the application is approved, the candidate can be granted the title of Venerable. If further investigations are positive, the candidate may be titled Blessed, and more investigations will follow.

At least two (posthumous) miracles must be confirmed and verified as being due to the intercession of the candidate subsequent to that candidate's death.

With two miracles confirmed without question, canonization will be performed by the Pope and the candidate will be declared a saint.

This process can take many years and candidates can wait centuries for their final canonization.

Mother Teresa of Calcutta was beatified in October 2003, receiving the title Blessed Teresa of Calcutta; she presently (at December 2010) awaits verification of a second miracle before her canonization.

Answer 6

Canonized saints are individuals recognized by the Catholic Church as having lived lives of heroic virtue and are believed to be in heaven. They are officially declared as saints through the canonization process, which involves thorough investigation and confirmation of miracles attributed to their intercession. Canonized saints serve as role models for Catholics and are venerated for their example of holiness.

Answer 7

Nobody knows. There are somewhere between 10,000 and 20,000 named saints, some of them canonized, others precongregational.

Answer 8

There are more than 10,000 saints that are recognized but many of them were declared to be saints long before the official canonization process was put into place.

Answer 9

Very few saints were canonized during the reign of Pope Paul VI and I can find none for the year 1968.