CONGREGATION FOR THE CAUSES OF SAINTS
With the Constitution "Immensa Aeterni Dei" of January 22,
1588, Sixtus V created the Sacred Congregation of Rites and entrusted to
it the task of regulating the exercise of divine worship and of dealing
with the Causes of Saints.
Paul VI, with the Apostolic Constitution "Sacra Rituum Congregatio"
of May 8, 1969, divided the Congregation of Rites, creating two congregations:
one for Divine Worship and another for the Causes of Saints.
With the same Apostolic Constitution of 1969, the new Congregation for
the Causes of Saints took on its own structure with three distinct offices:
the judiciary, that of the Promoter General of the Faith, and the historical-juridical,
which was the continuation of the Historical Section created by Pius XI
on February 6, 1930.
The Apostolic Constitution "Divinus Perfectionis Magister"
of January 25, 1983, and the respective "Normae servandae in inquisitionibus
ab episcopis faciendis in causis sanctorum" of February 7, 1983, made
possible both a profound reform in procedure for canonization causes and
the restructuring of the congregation. It was given a College of Relators,
assigned to take care of the preparation of the "Positiones super
vita et virtutibus (o super martyrio) of Servants of God.
John Paul II, with the Apostolic Constitution "Pastor Bonus"
of June 28, 1988, changed the name to Congregation for the Causes of Saints.
Joined to the dicastery is the "Study," instituted June 2,
1984, whose objective is the formation of postulators and those who collaborate
with the congregation, as well as those who exercise the various assignments
before the diocesan curia for the treatment of the causes of saints. The
"Study" also has the task of updating the "Index ac Status
Causarum."
The congregation prepares each year everything necessary for the pope
to be able to set forth new examples of holiness. After approving results
on miracles, martyrdom and heroic virtues of various Servants of God, the
Holy Father proceeds to a series of canonizations and beatifications.
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