Blessed Carlo Acutis and Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati were canonized on September 7, 2025, by Pope Leo. Canonization is defined as the supreme glorification of a Servant of God by the Church, involving a definitive decree from the Roman Pontiff, usually following the approval of a miracle. Beatification grants a public cult of limited scope and typically follows the recognition of martyrdom or the decree of heroic virtues plus the approval of a miracle. The last beatification during Pope Francis’s pontificate was that of Father Giovanni Merlini, C.PP.S., on January 12. Father Merlini, who served as moderator general for the Missionaries of the Precious Blood, was instrumental in Pope Pius IX extending the Feast of the Most Precious Blood to the universal Church.
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In 2025, Pope Leo XIV oversaw numerous beatifications and canonizations, marking a pontificate rich in recognizing saints and blesseds.1
The year began with the last beatification under Pope Francis and continued with events honoring martyrs, missionaries, and servants of the poor.1
A total of nine canonizations elevated 11 figures to sainthood, while dozens of beatifications, including large groups of martyrs, occurred worldwide.1
Pope Leo XIV canonized two popular blesseds, Pier Giorgio Frassati and Carlo Acutis, on September 7 in St. Peter’s Square.1
Frassati (1901-1925), a layman from Turin, lived charity through daily Mass, Rosary, and aid to the poor despite his agnostic family; a Los Angeles seminarian’s healing advanced his cause.1
Acutis (1991-2006), a tech-savvy teen, created Eucharistic miracle websites and helped the needy; his intercession healed a Costa Rican woman from head trauma.1
Pope Leo highlighted their simple practices like adoration and Confession as models for youth.1
On October 19, World Mission Sunday, seven more saints were canonized in St. Peter’s Square.1
St. Ignatius Moloyan (1869-1915), Armenian Catholic archbishop, died in the Genocide refusing Islam.1
St. Peter To Rot (1912-1945), Papua New Guinean catechist, opposed polygamy under Japanese occupation.1
St. Vincenza Maria Poloni (1802-1855), Italian foundress, aided Verona’s sick; healed a Chilean with torn aorta.1
St. Carmen Elena Rendiles Martínez (1903-1977), Venezuelan with disability, founded a new order; cured hydrocephalus.1
St. Maria Troncatti (1883-1969), Salesian missionary to Ecuador’s Shuar, died in plane crash; healed head injury.1
St. José Gregorio Hernández (1864-1919), Venezuelan doctor, served poor for free.1
St. Bartolo Longo (1841-1926), former Satanist, built Pompeii Rosary shrine.1
Pope Leo called them "faithful friends of Christ" inspiring holiness.1
Early 2025 featured beatifications of priests devoted to the poor and missions.1
Fr. Giovanni Merlini (1795-1873), last under Francis, aided Papal States; miracle healed severe anemia.1
Fr. Camille Costa de Beauregard (1841-1910), French orphanage founder, returned to faith in cathedral; relic healed eye injury.1
Mid-year honored Communist-era martyrs: Fr. Stanisław Streich (1902-1938), Polish pastor shot for aiding workers; Maria Krzysztofa Klomfass and 14 sisters (1945), Polish nuns killed by Soviets.1
Floribert Bwana Chui (1981-2007), Congolese customs official, rejected bribes and died tortured.1
Br. Lycarión May (1870-1909), Marist educator shot in Spain’s Tragic Week.1
Mária Magdolna Bódi (1921-1945), Hungarian laywoman, killed defending chastity from Soviet soldier.1
Abp. Eduard Profittlich (1890-1942), Estonian Jesuit, froze in Soviet prison.1
Bp. Petro Oros (1917-1953), Ukrainian Greek Catholic, shot fleeing arrest.1
November beatified Eliswa Vakayil (1831-1913), Indian widow-foundress of Carmelites, aiding orphans; healed fetal cleft lip.1
Fr. Carmelo De Palma (1876-1961), Italian confessor at Bari’s St. Nicholas Basilica; cured stenosis.1
December saw massive martyr groups: 124 Spanish Civil War victims in Jaén (1936-1938).1
In Paris, 50 French clergy/laity killed aiding WWII forced laborers in Germany (1944-1945), victims of executions, typhus, and Nazi experiments.1
Pope Leo praised their fidelity amid hatred.1
Martyrdom dominated, especially under Communism, Nazis, and civil wars, emphasizing faithfulness to faith and poor.1
Many blesseds served orphans, sick, and marginalized; miracles often involved inexplicable healings.1
Lay figures like Frassati, Acutis, and Bódi showed heroic virtue outside cloister.1
Pope Leo repeatedly invoked them for peace (Ukraine, Middle East), youth, educators, and priests.1
He urged imitating their charity, prayer, and courage in trials.1
Investigate Catholic criteria for canonization versus beatification
The Catholic Church distinguishes beatification and canonization as solemn declarations recognizing a deceased person's heroic virtue or martyrdom, permitting public veneration—local for the beatified (Blessed) and universal for the canonized (Saint). Both processes demand proof of reputation of holiness (fama sanctitatis), heroic exercise of virtues or martyrdom, and miracles as divine confirmation, governed by special pontifical law alongside the Code of Canon Law. Beatification precedes canonization, with canonization requiring additional verification, including a further miracle, to ensure the Church's judgment is "super tuto" (without risk of error). These criteria evolved to safeguard against hasty or unfounded cults, emphasizing rigorous historical, theological, and scientific scrutiny.
All causes begin at the diocesan level, initiated only after a spontaneous, widespread, and enduring reputation of holiness or martyrdom, not artificially promoted. The candidate, titled Servant of God, must be a Catholic who lived, died, and post-mortem enjoyed fama sanctitatis through heroic Christian virtues or martyrdom—defined as sacrificing life while following Christ closely. Diocesan bishops assess this "coram Deo," gathering proofs via inquiries under "Sanctorum Mater" norms, ensuring moral certitude through testimonies and documents.
Heroic virtue requires integral faith, right intention, knowledge, good reputation, proven morals, examined critically for supereminent practice. Martyrdom demands odium fidei (hatred of the faith), voluntary acceptance of death (effusio sanguinis), and moral certainty of the persecutor's intent, even if masked politically. Special cases like "offer of life" (e.g., voluntary acceptance of certain death propter caritatem) need free offer, nexus to death, prior virtues, fama post-mortem, and a miracle. Absent proven holiness, no cause proceeds, regardless of merits.
Beatification permits limited public cultus, declaring the Servant of God "Blessed." Key criteria:
Equivalent beatification confirms immemorial cultus (pre-1640). Upon approval, the Pope issues a decree, often after Congregation review.
"The cause of beatification and canonization regards a Catholic who in life, in death and after death has enjoyed a reputation of holiness by living all the Christian virtues in an heroic manner."
Canonization declares infallible certainty of the person's heavenly glory, mandating universal veneration. Building on beatification:
"Canonization... may be taken up as soon as two miracles are reported to have been worked at their intercession, after the pontifical permission of public veneration."
Special pontifical law governs, referring to universal norms where needed.
| Aspect | Beatification | Canonization |
|---|---|---|
| Scope of Veneration | Local/diocese or order | Universal Church |
| Miracles Required | Generally 1 (post-death) | Additional 1 (post-beatification); total 2 |
| Process Stage | Virtues/martyrdom + miracle | After beatification + miracle |
| Declaration | "Blessed"; equivalent for ancient cults | "Saint"; infallible |
The Church's prudence is paramount: processes are complex, demanding "inconfutabili testimonianze" (incontrovertible testimonies), historical method, and miracles as "divine beneplacito." Recent norms (e.g., 2007 "Sanctorum Mater") streamline without diluting rigor. Where sources note evolution (e.g., simplified rituals), core criteria persist. No divergences in provided sources; Benedict XVI affirms physical miracles' necessity.
Beatification verifies heroic sanctity for local honor, while canonization confirms eternal glory for all via extra miracle—both glorifying God through saints' intercession. These processes, rooted in tradition, demand unyielding evidence to edify the faithful. For specific causes, consult the Dicastery for the Causes of Saints.