The Catholic Church and their Saints
Since the year 100 A.D., Christians were already honoring other Christians who showed an exemplary existence during their time on earth and asking for intercessions from the one who died living a religious life. Catholics perceive saints as individuals who lived the principles of Jesus Christ and followed His teachings until their time came.
Many Catholics misunderstood the concept of saints and how they are made. Before, choosing saints were made through the popularity of the individuals' life stories and legends and they were recognized by the way they have lived their life and their impact to human lives. But some of these legends and stories became distorted through time and some really never existed so in 1983, Pope John Paul II made comprehensive amendments on the procedure of choosing a saint. The process begins at the time of death of a Catholic whom people supporting for his canonization consider him as holy. The process may not start right after the death but instead, it takes time before the procedure gets underway. The candidate's life is investigated by the local bishop who reviews all written documents and records about the individual for heroic virtue and martyrdom. After the report is done, a panel of theologians at the Vatican will then evaluate if the candidate is in fact appropriate for canonization. After the approval, the pope then declares the individual as venerable and later on a saint.
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