beatification
Americannoun
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the act of beatifying.
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the state of being beatified.
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Roman Catholic Church. the official act of the pope whereby a deceased person is declared to be enjoying the happiness of heaven, and therefore a proper subject of religious honor and public cult in certain places.
Etymology
Origin of beatification
1495–1505; < Late Latin beātificātiōn- (stem of beātificātiō ), equivalent to beātificāt ( us ) (past participle of beātificāre to beatify ) + -iōn- -ion; see -ate 1
Explanation
Beatification is making someone blissful or extremely happy. It's also an action by the Pope that honors a dead person for being holy. For most of us, beatification is the action of making someone blissfully happy. That kind of beatification produces pure joy. In the Catholic Church, it's the declaration by a pope that someone is entitled to public veneration. After her death in 1997, Mother Theresa of Calcutta was beatified by Pope John Paul II. Beatification is a step along the path to canonization: when someone is made a saint. Only a very holy person can be a candidate for beatification.
Vocabulary lists containing beatification
Challenge, List 12
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List 9
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All Saints' Day
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The next step towards eventual sainthood in Beatification, which requires that a miracle be attributed to Wyszynski.
From Reuters • Dec. 19, 2017
Beatification allows for limited public veneration of the candidate, usually only in the diocese or region where the candidate lived.
From Washington Times • Dec. 2, 2017
Beatification is formally an honor restricted to someone’s home diocese, whereas canonized saints are venerated by Catholics everywhere.
From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 18, 2015
Beatification is a near-final step in the canonization process, and means that at least one but usually two miracles have been confirmed in a person’s name.
From Time • Oct. 22, 2013
Beatification, in the Roman Catholic Church, an act by which the Pope declares a person beatified or blessed after his death.
From The New Gresham Encyclopedia. Vol. 1 Part 3 Atrebates to Bedlis by Various
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
