How to Become a Saint
Become Catholic., Live an exemplary and pious life., Perform at least two miracles., Die.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Become Catholic.
Modern saints in Roman Catholicism are all Catholic themselves, so if you have not yet been baptized and confirmed into the church, get on that right away.
If you have been living a life of sin so far, don't worry: many saints were sinners who underwent radical, life-changes when they joined the church.
It's tricky, but you can still make sainthood if you have a miraculous conversion and then turn away from your debasements to take up a life of virtue. -
Step 2: Live an exemplary and pious life.
There are lots of different ways to do this, from comforting the sick and dying to spreading the word of God, from fighting against poverty and oppression to devoting your life to scholarly study.
Whatever you do, it has to be virtuous, selfless and memorable.
Don't try explicitly to become a saint—just focus on being the best, most compassionate Christian you can be.
Be humble and work to serve God and make a positive difference in the lives of others.
Joining the church as a priest or nun is a good start, but not required.
The Vatican works hard to identify laypeople who are candidates for sainthood.
Think big! Some saints are honored for extraordinary service to a small group of people or local community, but your exemplary life is more likely to be recognized if you have a bigger, more globally noticeable impact. , Miracles are extraordinary events not normally attainable through human works, and thus attributed to the intervention of a divine and supernatural power.
Unexplainable healing of the incurably sick, wounded or dying is a classic, as is interceding to miraculously stop or rescue people from an impending disaster.
Really, however, a miracle can be any inexplicable but benevolent phenomenon you can conjure up.
Just remember, you aren't really performing these miracles:
God is performing them through you.
You don't technically have to perform these miracles while alive—you could intercede from heaven to make your miracles happen instead.
However it isn't as guaranteed that you will be recognized for the miracles you perform after your death, so it doesn't hurt to get this requirement out of the way as soon as possible. , No getting around this one: sainthood is a posthumous title.
In fact, the canonization process only begins minimum of five years after the subject's death.
If possible, try to be martyred for your faith.
This happens less and less these days, but being killed because you refused to renounce your (Catholic) religious beliefs is sure to get you and your sainthood case noticed. -
Step 3: Perform at least two miracles.
Detailed Guide
Modern saints in Roman Catholicism are all Catholic themselves, so if you have not yet been baptized and confirmed into the church, get on that right away.
If you have been living a life of sin so far, don't worry: many saints were sinners who underwent radical, life-changes when they joined the church.
It's tricky, but you can still make sainthood if you have a miraculous conversion and then turn away from your debasements to take up a life of virtue.
There are lots of different ways to do this, from comforting the sick and dying to spreading the word of God, from fighting against poverty and oppression to devoting your life to scholarly study.
Whatever you do, it has to be virtuous, selfless and memorable.
Don't try explicitly to become a saint—just focus on being the best, most compassionate Christian you can be.
Be humble and work to serve God and make a positive difference in the lives of others.
Joining the church as a priest or nun is a good start, but not required.
The Vatican works hard to identify laypeople who are candidates for sainthood.
Think big! Some saints are honored for extraordinary service to a small group of people or local community, but your exemplary life is more likely to be recognized if you have a bigger, more globally noticeable impact. , Miracles are extraordinary events not normally attainable through human works, and thus attributed to the intervention of a divine and supernatural power.
Unexplainable healing of the incurably sick, wounded or dying is a classic, as is interceding to miraculously stop or rescue people from an impending disaster.
Really, however, a miracle can be any inexplicable but benevolent phenomenon you can conjure up.
Just remember, you aren't really performing these miracles:
God is performing them through you.
You don't technically have to perform these miracles while alive—you could intercede from heaven to make your miracles happen instead.
However it isn't as guaranteed that you will be recognized for the miracles you perform after your death, so it doesn't hurt to get this requirement out of the way as soon as possible. , No getting around this one: sainthood is a posthumous title.
In fact, the canonization process only begins minimum of five years after the subject's death.
If possible, try to be martyred for your faith.
This happens less and less these days, but being killed because you refused to renounce your (Catholic) religious beliefs is sure to get you and your sainthood case noticed.
About the Author
Samuel Henderson
Samuel Henderson specializes in educational content and has been creating helpful content for over 5 years. Samuel is committed to helping readers learn new skills and improve their lives.
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