Path to Sainthood: How is One Declared a Saint?

November 1, 2025:

The Catholic Church teaches that all Christians are called to holiness and that every believer is invited to become a saint. But what exactly does it take for someone to be officially recognized as a saint by the Church? The process is based on centuries of tradition and careful discernment, involving several detailed stages and thorough investigations into the individual’s life and virtues.

Universal Call to Holiness

Every Christian, regardless of status, is called to pursue holiness. In Catholic teaching, saints are people, whether officially canonized or not, who lived with heroic virtue, their lives shining examples of faith, charity, and perseverance. These men and women, martyrs for the faith or dedicated laypersons, are considered worthy of imitation by all Christians.

Steps Towards Sainthood

The journey to sainthood is a structured process, typically unfolding in the following stages:

1. Servant of God

The path begins when a postulator, often someone inspired by the candidate’s life, requests the local bishop to initiate an official investigation. The bishop may then decide to open a cause, starting with a thorough examination at the diocesan level, establishing a tribunal to summon witnesses and review the candidate’s written works. Once this process commences, the individual is called a “Servant of God”.

2. Venerable

After the initial investigation, all relevant documentation is forwarded to the Dicastery for the Causes of Saints in Rome. This body, comprising theologians and other experts, reviews the case and the Pope may then declare the person “Venerable” if it is determined that they lived a life of heroic virtue or martyrdom.

3. Beatification

The next step is beatification, where the candidate is declared “Blessed”. This usually requires a miracle attributed to the candidate’s intercession, demonstrating the grace of God in a way that cannot be explained scientifically. However, for martyrs, the miracle requirement is waived. The investigation here is particularly rigorous, conducted by the Vatican’s Dicastery for the Causes of Saints in collaboration with the local diocese or eparchy.

4. Canonization

Canonization is the final step, the official declaration of sainthood. A second miracle, occurring after beatification, is usually required. The Pope must approve and invoke the Decree of Canonization, which formally adds the person’s name to the Church’s official list of saints. At this point, a feast day is assigned, and the saint is recognized for universal veneration within the Catholic Church.

Historical Roots: Vox Populi, Vox Dei

Originally, the recognition of saints was a matter of popular acclamation; communities would venerate individuals based on public testimony to their holiness, without a formal process. From the sixth century onward, formal procedures began to emerge, requiring the bishop’s intervention and official decrees for public veneration.

Learning from the Saints

The Church encourages all Catholics, you and I, to learn about and seek the intercession of the saints. Their examples offer hope and inspiration, reminding believers that holiness is an attainable goal, regardless of life’s challenges. By studying their lives, Catholics around the world are inspired to pursue their own journeys of faith, hope, and charity. The saints show that holiness is possible in every walk of life; by living with love, faith, and courage, ordinary people can do extraordinary things for God and for others.

May their stories inspire all of us to pursue virtue in our daily choices, trust in God’s grace, and support one another on the journey to Heaven. The path to holiness begins with simple acts of kindness, honesty, prayer, and service — steps everyone, you and I, can take today.

Path to Sainthood: How is One Declared a Saint?

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