Modern Days' Cheap Sainthood
26 April 2014 By Abi Giwa
It is common to hear people say that they are not saints or angels, meaning that they are humans; fallible and capable of mistakes. But it is possible for someone to become a saint if the Vatican chooses a person for canonization, despite humans' lack of infallibility.
On Sunday, the roads lead to the Vatican City in Rome, where Pope Francis is schedule to canonize two former popes: Pope John XXIII and Pope John Paul II. Some reports have dubbed this Sunday's ceremony 'double canonization,' because it is the first time two individuals are being canonized the same day.
The making of saints is an age-old tradition of the Church. The first people that were so honored as saints were the martyrs. The process of choosing a person for canonization has since undergone a transformation, and today it has popularity as one of the factors considered for those to be canonized.
"Souvenir shops are a very good criterion for devotion. That is how you measure popularity. That is very likely to surprise a lot of people, but that is one way the faithful vote," Father Marc Lindeijer said in an interview with the CBS News.
Father Lindeijer is the man responsible for documenting proof of piety and monitoring popularity of candidates for future canonization. And one of the indices for a candidate's popularity is based on the number of mementos that have been made in the person's name. And one no longer necessarily has to be a martyr. Of course, martyrs have more public acclaim than those who died peacefully. The strictest aspect for all candidates is the beatification process, which requires evidence of a miracle that must happen after a candidate's death.
In the Catholic Church, the number of years after death before consideration has been reduced from 50 to five years. Father Lindeijer thinks that five years is too short.
Canonization is undertaken in other Churches too. The rules are much the same like the ones laid down by the early church, considering those who have died and merit to be regarded as holy based on undoubted devotion.
Saint Stephen became the first person who was canonized after he was killed, because of the manner of his devotion and death recorded in the Acts of the Apostles. Simon Peter was also killed. Virtually all Christ's apostles were killed, except Apostle John who died a natural death. Judas Iscariot, the only one whose attitude was opposite of Christ's. Saint Paul was also killed. He loved the world than the heaven. Compared today's making of sainthood, one will see that modern day sainthood is cheaper than the apostles's time.
Based on popularity and devotion, Pope Francis has already earned a place among the saints. As a non-hard liner, he tries to reach out to all, like his decision to canonize two popes together said to be a plan to unite the church. The modern day's church has compromises unlike the early church.
On Sunday, the roads lead to the Vatican City in Rome, where Pope Francis is schedule to canonize two former popes: Pope John XXIII and Pope John Paul II. Some reports have dubbed this Sunday's ceremony 'double canonization,' because it is the first time two individuals are being canonized the same day.
The making of saints is an age-old tradition of the Church. The first people that were so honored as saints were the martyrs. The process of choosing a person for canonization has since undergone a transformation, and today it has popularity as one of the factors considered for those to be canonized.
"Souvenir shops are a very good criterion for devotion. That is how you measure popularity. That is very likely to surprise a lot of people, but that is one way the faithful vote," Father Marc Lindeijer said in an interview with the CBS News.
Father Lindeijer is the man responsible for documenting proof of piety and monitoring popularity of candidates for future canonization. And one of the indices for a candidate's popularity is based on the number of mementos that have been made in the person's name. And one no longer necessarily has to be a martyr. Of course, martyrs have more public acclaim than those who died peacefully. The strictest aspect for all candidates is the beatification process, which requires evidence of a miracle that must happen after a candidate's death.
In the Catholic Church, the number of years after death before consideration has been reduced from 50 to five years. Father Lindeijer thinks that five years is too short.
Canonization is undertaken in other Churches too. The rules are much the same like the ones laid down by the early church, considering those who have died and merit to be regarded as holy based on undoubted devotion.
Saint Stephen became the first person who was canonized after he was killed, because of the manner of his devotion and death recorded in the Acts of the Apostles. Simon Peter was also killed. Virtually all Christ's apostles were killed, except Apostle John who died a natural death. Judas Iscariot, the only one whose attitude was opposite of Christ's. Saint Paul was also killed. He loved the world than the heaven. Compared today's making of sainthood, one will see that modern day sainthood is cheaper than the apostles's time.
Based on popularity and devotion, Pope Francis has already earned a place among the saints. As a non-hard liner, he tries to reach out to all, like his decision to canonize two popes together said to be a plan to unite the church. The modern day's church has compromises unlike the early church.
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