Beatification
Beatification is the step in the Catholic Church's canonization process that grants a deceased person the title "Blessed," permitting local or specific veneration. It typically requires evidence of heroic virtue and, except for martyrs, a miracle attributed to that person's intercession, formally investigated and approved by the Church. It comes before canonization, not after it.
How the Process Works
The path to beatification usually opens with a diocesan investigation into a candidate's life, virtues, and reputation for holiness, opened no earlier than five years after death except in unusual cases. The findings are sent to the Vatican's Congregation for the Causes of Saints, where theologians and cardinals review the evidence before recommending the case to the Pope.
Martyrs and the Miracle Requirement
For most candidates, a miracle — almost always a medically inexplicable healing — attributed to the candidate's intercession after their death must be verified before beatification. Martyrs are the exception: because dying for the faith is itself considered the ultimate witness, no miracle is required for their beatification, though one is still needed for canonization.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can a beatified person be publicly venerated everywhere?
No. Beatification normally permits veneration only in a specific diocese, country, or religious community connected to the person, not the whole Church. Only canonization extends veneration universally.
How long does beatification usually take?
There is no fixed timeline. Some causes move within a few decades of a person's death, while others take centuries, depending on how quickly evidence is gathered and a qualifying miracle is confirmed.