Articles

Saint Patrons: The Role of Archives in the Roman Catholic Process of Canonization

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Abstract

The newest legislation on the process of canonization in the Roman Catholic Church has combined with the desire on the part of the Church to highlight the sanctity of laypersons to encourage an increase in the number of persons beatified and canonized. This article examines the role of archives in the canonization process as sources of documents about candidates for sanctity, information about their historical milieux, and expertise in judging the authenticity of documents. Using the cause of the Dominican Samuel Mazzuchelli and surveys of both archives and postulators for canonization causes, the article details the use of archives in specific canonization processes, as well as problems and advantages for both researchers and archivists. It argues that the focus on diverse candidates for sanctity will increase the use of many types of repositories, especially nonchurch archives, in the future.

How to Cite:

Stadick, A., (1999) “Saint Patrons: The Role of Archives in the Roman Catholic Process of Canonization”, Archival Issues 24(2), 123–143. doi: https://doi.org/10.31274/archivalissues.10882