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Canonization: meaning, definitions and examples

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canonization

 

[ ˌkænənaɪˈzeɪʃən ]

Noun
Context #1 | Noun

religious process

Canonization is the official process by which the Church declares a deceased person to be a saint. This process involves thorough investigation of the individual's life, virtues, and miracles attributed to them, and it is often considered a significant honor within various religious traditions.

Synonyms

beatification, sainthood, sanctification

Examples of usage

  • The canonization of the new saint took place during the grand ceremony.
  • Canonization requires extensive documentation and verification.
  • Many believers pray for intercession from saints after their canonization.

Translations

Translations of the word "canonization" in other languages:

🇵🇹 canonização

🇮🇳 संत बनाने की प्रक्रिया

🇩🇪 Heiligsprechung

🇮🇩 kanonisasi

🇺🇦 канонізація

🇵🇱 kanonizacja

🇯🇵 聖人認定

🇫🇷 canonisation

🇪🇸 canonización

🇹🇷 canonizasyon

🇰🇷 성인 인정

🇸🇦 تقديس

🇨🇿 kanonizace

🇸🇰 kanonizácia

🇨🇳 封圣

🇸🇮 kanonizacija

🇮🇸 heilagfærslur

🇰🇿 канонизация

🇬🇪 კანონიზაცია

🇦🇿 kanonizasiya

🇲🇽 canonización

Word origin

The term 'canonization' originates from the Latin word 'canonizare', which means 'to place in a list, a catalogue'. This is derived from 'canon', reflecting the ecclesiastical canon or list of saints recognized by the Church. Historically, the process of canonization was informal and varied widely among different Christian communities. By the 10th century, formal procedures began to take shape, primarily in the Roman Catholic Church. Canonization was reserved for individuals who exhibited exceptional virtue and holiness and was often influenced by public opinion and local veneration. In 1234, Pope Gregory IX established a more structured process, making it a central aspect of Church law. Over centuries, canonization became increasingly rigorous, involving examinations of the person's life and miraculous occurrences posthumously attributed to them. The modern canonization process requires validated miracles, scrutiny by theological experts, and formal recognition from the Pope, culminating in a public ceremony where the individual is officially declared a saint.

Word Frequency Rank

At rank #28,489, this word represents specialized academic or technical vocabulary. It's less frequently encountered but may be valuable in specific contexts.