Canonized

Canonized is an adjective used to describe someone who has been officially declared a saint by a religious authority, or more broadly, something added to an official canon. The word derives from Latin canon, from Greek kanōn meaning rule or standard, and entered medieval Latin as canonizare, meaning to make into a canon or standard.

In religious contexts, canonization is the formal process by which a deceased person is recognized as a saint and thus worthy of public veneration. In the Roman Catholic Church, the process is usually initiated locally and conducted by the Congregation for the Causes of Saints. A candidate is first called a Servant of God, then declared Venerable after heroic virtue is proven. Beatification, which permits limited public veneration, typically requires a verified miracle attributed to the candidate’s intercession (martyrs can be beatified without a miracle). Canonization as a saint generally requires a second miracle after beatification and culminates in a public declaration of sainthood, extending veneration to the entire Church. Other Christian traditions vary in procedure: the Eastern Orthodox Church proclaims saints through local synods or bishops with customary veneration, while many Protestant communities do not practice formal canonization and emphasize the universal priesthood of believers.

In secular usage, canonized can refer to inclusion in an official canon—such as a body of sacred texts (the biblical canon) or a recognized set of literary, artistic, or cultural works. In this sense, “to canonize” means to approve something as part of an accepted standard or body of work.