Beatification ceremony of Carlo Acutis Carlo Acutis was an Italian computer programmer who died of leukemia in 1991 when he was 15 years old. He was beatified in 2020 and will be canonized in September 2025. (more) How Does Someone Become a Saint? Ask the Chatbot a Question More Actions Share Share Share to social media Facebook X URL https://www.britannica.com/topic/How-Does-Someone-Become-a-Saint Feedback Corrections? Updates? Omissions? Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). Feedback Type Select a type (Required) Factual Correction Spelling/Grammar Correction Link Correction Additional Information Other Your Feedback Submit Feedback Thank you for your feedback Our editors will review what you’ve submitted and determine whether to revise the article.
External Websites Ask the Chatbot a Question Written by René Ostberg René Ostberg is an associate editor at Encyclopaedia Britannica. René Ostberg Fact-checked by The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree.... The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica Last Updated: Aug 22, 2025 • Article History Table of Contents Table of Contents Ask the Chatbot In Roman Catholicism the process of declaring someone a saint is called canonization. According to the church’s law, the process cannot begin until five years after a person’s death, although this requirement can be waived by the pope. Mother Teresa, for example, died in 1997, but her cause for canonization was opened in 1999 after Pope John Paul II waived three years of the waiting period. Generally, there are three steps to canonization. The first step involves examining a person’s life for evidence of the individual’s holiness. This investigation must be opened by the bishop of the deceased person’s local ...(100 of 366 words)
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