Venerable
Venerable is the title commonly given to a Servant of God after the pope authorizes a decree recognizing heroic virtue, martyrdom, or the offering of life.[1]
Recognition of heroic virtue
Venerable marks a favorable papal judgment at a major stage of a cause of canonization. In a cause based upon virtues, it follows recognition that the Servant of God practiced the Christian virtues heroically. Causes may instead proceed upon proved martyrdom or the offering of life according to the applicable law.[2]
The decree is an authoritative ecclesiastical judgment, but it is not beatification or canonization. The person is therefore not called Blessed or Saint, and the title by itself does not authorize the public liturgical cult proper to those later stages.
Relation to beatification
For a confessor whose cause rests upon heroic virtue, beatification ordinarily also requires recognition of a miracle attributed to the candidate's intercession. The treatment of martyrs and other juridical forms follows the norms proper to those causes. Alleged miracles receive separate historical, medical, theological, and ecclesiastical examination.
Veneration in the ordinary sense of respect must be distinguished from the technical title Venerable and from public cult authorized by beatification or canonization.
References
- Back to citation Sanctorum Mater — Instruction governing diocesan and eparchial inquiries in causes of saints.
- Back to citation Divinus perfectionis Magister — Apostolic constitution governing causes of canonization.