Who Canonized Mother Teresa
The canonization of Mother Teresa was carried out by the Vatican under Pope Francis. The decision followed a rigorous canonical investigation by the Congregation for the Causes of Saints, which examined her life, heroic virtues, and verified miracles. The process officially began decades after her death in 1997, with the Holy See confirming that she lived a life of outstanding sanctity and service to the poorest of the poor. The final decree was signed by the Pope and the cardinal prefect of the Vatican's Dicastery for the Causes of Saints, making her canonization an official act of the universal Catholic Church Vatican Official Website.
Canonization is the highest formal recognition by the Catholic Church that a deceased person is in heaven and may be venerated publicly. For Mother Teresa, this meant her name was added to the canon of saints, and her feast day was set for September 5, the date of her birth. The ceremony took place in St. Peter's Square and was attended by thousands of pilgrims, diplomats, and religious leaders. The event was widely covered by global media and religious networks as a significant moment for the Church National Catholic Reporter.
What Miracles Were Required for Mother Teresa's Canonization
First Miracle for Beatification
The first miracle attributed to Mother Teresa's intercession was the healing of a woman in India with a tumor, which was investigated by the Vatican's medical board. The board concluded that the recovery was scientifically inexplicable and directly linked to prayers made to Mother Teresa after her death. This approval allowed Pope John Paul II to beatify her in 2003, making her Blessed Teresa of Calcutta Vatican Official Website.
Second Miracle for Canonization
The second miracle involved the healing of a Brazilian man with multiple brain tumors, whose family prayed to Mother Teresa during a critical health crisis. After extensive medical review, the Vatican's consultors and bishops confirmed that the cure was instantaneous, complete, and scientifically unexplainable. Pope Francis approved this second miracle in 2015, clearing the final canonical hurdle for canonization Vatican Official Website.
Key Figures and Institutions Involved in the Canonization
Role of the Dicastery for the Causes of Saints
The Dicastery for the Causes of Saints is the Vatican body responsible for evaluating candidates for sainthood, including Mother Teresa. It manages the postulator's office, reviews medical and theological consultations, and drafts the decree confirming heroic virtues or miracles. In Mother Teresa's case, the postulator coordinated thousands of pages of documentation, witness testimonies, and medical reports from hospitals and clinics worldwide Vatican Official Website.
Pope Francis and the Final Decree
Pope Francis personally presided over the canonization Mass and signed the decree recognizing the second miracle, which is required by Church law before canonization. He emphasized Mother Teresa's message of mercy and her work among the destitute as a model for the modern Church. The canonization ceremony was held on September 4, 2016, and she was declared a saint of the universal Church National Catholic Reporter.