By Susan Northway, Diocesan Director of Religious Education and Reverend Langes J. Silva, JCD, STL, Judicial Vicar and Vice-Chancellor The recent beatification of Pope John Paul II and the opening of the cause for sainthood, on a diocesan level, of Cora Louisa Yorgason Evans, a native of Utah, give us the opportunity to present a summary of the process of canonization according to the current Code of Canon Law and the particular pontifical laws regulating these types of procedures. This article has been divided in five parts. This part V describes the ceremony of canonization and offers a conclusion. Ceremony of Canonization The formal declaration of beatification or canonization occurs during a special Mass conducted by the pope. It usually takes place outdoors in St. Peter’s Square before large crowds, but sometimes is conducted in the saint’s home country. In 2001, over a half million people attended the canonization of Padre Pío (1887-1968). Four months later, Josemaría Escrivá de Balaguer was canonized before 300,000 faithful. The canonization ceremony is conducted as follows: 1.The saint’s life history is read aloud. 2.The pope chants the following in Latin: "In honor of the Blessed Trinity, for the exaltation of the Catholic Faith and the growth of Christian life, with the authority of Our Lord Jesus Christ, of the Blessed Apostles Peter and Paul and Our Own, after lengthy reflection, having assiduously invoked God’s assistance and taken into account the opinion of many brothers of ours in the episcopate, we declare and define [name] to be a saint [or "to be blessed"], and we enroll him in the Catalogue of the saints, and we establish that in the whole Church he should be devoutly honored among the saints. In the name of the Father and of the son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen." 3.The person is officially recognized as blessed or as a saint at this point. A large tapestry with an image of the saint is unfurled before the faithful to admire and venerate. Conclusions In the Catholic Church (both the Western and Eastern Churches) the act of canonization is reserved to the Holy See, although the beginning of the process occurs at the diocesan level following the regulations of Canon Law, the particular pontifical laws and the regulations and norms from the Congregation for the cause of the Saints, the declaration of a saint occurs at the conclusion of a long process requiring extensive proof that the person proposed for canonization lived and died in such an exemplary and holy way that he or she is worthy to be recognized as a saint. The Church’s official recognition of sanctity implies that the persons are now in heavenly glory, that they may be publicly invoked and mentioned officially in the liturgy of the Church, most especially in the Litany of the Saints. Other Catholic churches still follow the older practice, for instance, the practice of the Orthodox Church as previously mentioned. In the Catholic Church, canonization involves a decree that allows veneration of the saint in the liturgy of the Roman Rite throughout the world. However, for permission to venerate on a local level, only beatification is needed, not canonization.
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