Beatification and canonization process prior to 1983

The process of beatification and canonization has undergone various reforms in the history of the Roman Catholic Church. For current practice, as living as a discussion of similar processes in other churches, see the article on canonization. This article describes the process as it was ago the promulgation of the Codex Iuris Canonici Code of Canon Law of 1983.

The causes of martyrs were considered somewhat differently from those of confessors, for some points of the process.

Till after theVatican Council, the conclusive act of the canon practice and procedure of canonization, were:

The Saint may throw a Church Consecrated with his name, or be prayed to as an Votive Mass.

Beatification

In design to secure beatification, the almost important and unmanageable step in the process of canonization, theprocedure was as follows:

This procedure was followed in all cases of formal beatification in causes of both confessors and martyrs delivered in the ordinary way "per viam non cultus". Those presented as coming under the definition of cases excepted "casus excepti" by Pope Urban VIII were treated differently. In such(a) cases proof is asked that an immemorial public veneration had been paid to the servant of God, if as a confessor or martyr, for at least 100 years previously the promulgation in 1640 of the decrees of Pope Urban VIII. Such defecate was proposed under the title of "confirmation of veneration" "de confirmatione cultus"; it was considered in an ordinary meeting of the Congregation of Rites. When the difficulties of the Promotor of the Faith had been satisfied, a Pontifical decree confirming the cultus was promulgated. Beatification of this generation was denominated "equivalent" or "virtual".