There are several steps toward sainthood.
- The first is to open the case and to declare someone a "Servant of God."
- The second is to approve the person's "heroic virtues" and declare the Servant of God "Venerable."
- The third is to approve a miracle or the martyrdom of the Venerable Servant of God, who can then be beatified as a blessed (beatus).
- The fourth is to approve a first miracle (for martyrs) or a second miracle (for non-martyrs) of the blessed, who can then be canonized as a saint (sanctus).
In principle there is no theological difference between a blessed and a saint. Both saints and blesseds are listed in the Roman Martyrology and both are believed to intercede for us in heaven.
There are, however, practical and liturgical differences. To understand these, it is necessary to know that in the Latin Church there are different ranks of liturgical celebrations: optional memorials, obligatory memorials, feasts and solemnities (solemnities being the highest rank).
Here are some characteristics of beatifications and blesseds:
- Beatifications are normally not celebrated by the Pope himself, but by a Cardinal in the name of the Pope. (Pope John Paul II did not follow this custom, but it has been reestablished by Pope Benedict XVI.)
- When someone is declared blessed he or she can be inscribed in local liturgical calendars, for example of a nation, diocese or religious family. In local calendars a blessed is usually given an optional memorial if there is no special reason for a higher rank of celebration.
- When someone has been declared blessed he or she can be celebrated liturgically with a feast, for example by the religious family he or she has founded, but not with a solemnity.
Here are some characteristics of canonizations and saints:
- Canonizations are normally celebrated by the Pope himself.
- When someone is declared a saint he or she can be inscribed in the General Roman Calendar (but that normally only happens with saints who are of universal significance). In local calendars a saint is usually given an obligatory memorial if there is no special reason for a higher rank of celebration.
- When someone has been declared a saint he or she can be celebrated liturgically with a solemnity, for example by the religious family he or she has founded.
Thus, for example, Blessed Mother Teresa of Calcutta is currently celebrated with a feast by the Missionaries of Charity, as their founder. When at some point in the future she is canonized, however, the Missionaries of Charity will be able to celebrate her with a solemnity, and I expect that she will be inscribed in the General Roman Calendar to be celebrated with an obligatory memorial on September 5 by the whole Latin Church.
Similarly, Blessed Damien of Moloka`i is currently only celebrated with an optional memorial in the U.S. liturgical calendar. When he is canonized on Oct. 11, 2009, by Pope Benedict XVI, I would expect him to get an obligatory memorial in the U.S. liturgical calendar, and at least a feast in the state of Hawai`i as the state's first canonized saint. He may also get a feast in his religious family, since he will be the first canonized saint of the
Picpus Fathers [
en.wikipedia.org]. Indeed, he might even be inscribed in the General Roman Calendar with an optional memorial on May 10 (I hope so).
To summarize, then, the difference between saints and blesseds is practical and liturgical, not theological. Blesseds are celebrated more locally, while saints may be celebrated more widely or even universally.
I would be interested to know if the Eastern Catholic Churches make any distinction between saints and blesseds in their liturgical calendars or celebrations.
