Beatification in the Catholic Church
Beatification in the Catholic Church is a very delicate process with rigid rules. The canonical rules that must be followed in this process, or the "Causes of the Saints," are contained in the Papal Constitution, Divinus Perfectionis Magister, promulgated on January 25th, 1983 by Giovanni Paolo II. To begin a “cause,” or a petition to make someone a saint, at least 5 years must pass after the death of the candidate, and his or her holiness (fama sanctitas) must be obvious. The Actor Causae, that is the investigation, must be promoted by the diocese, parish, religious gathering, or association, and should be approved by the bishop. The bishop, after obtaining a document called the nulla osta by the Vatican, constitues an appropriate religious tribunal. At this point, witnesses demonstrate their religiosity and faithfulness to the Church and then share their testimony as to the holiness of the candidate. After all of the documents are collected, the procedure goes to the Congregazione delle Cause dei Santi (or the Congregation of the Causes of the Saints), which prepares a public copy of the document. Next the Positio (the documentation that proves the esercizio eroico—heroic exercises—of the virtues) must be prepared. The 'postulator' follows, under the direction of a spokesperson of the Congregazione. Nine theologians then express their vows and examine the Positio theologically. If the majority of the theologians agree, the Cardinals and Bishops of the Congregazione come together twice a month and examine the Cause. If they approve the Positio, the Prefect of the Congregation presents the Cause to the Holy Father (the pope), who grants his approval and authorizes the Congregation to write up the relevant decree. The public reading and promulgation of the decree then follows.

In the process of beatification, one should differentiate between the "confessors" and the "martyrs." The "confessors"--beati or "blessed"--are saints who testified their belief during their earthly life without undergoing martyrdom. The "martyrs" are those who spilt their blood for their faith—killed in odium fidei. In the case of a confessor, there must be a miracle attributed to his or her act of intercession which occurred after the candidate's death. On the other hand, for the beatification of a martyr, a miracle is not necessary, because his or her martyrdom is recognized and is sufficient. The process of canonization is somewhat different from beatification. Through canonization, the cult of the candidate becomes public and is recognized by the Catholic church before the candidate becomes a Saint.

The Vatican
The Vatican is the smallest independent state in the world and is found on the northwest bank of the Tiber River.  There, the Pope is sovereign, wields executive, legislative and judicial power, and is represented externally by the Cardinal Secretary of State.  The Swiss Guard and the Corpo di Vigilanza del Vaticano protect the Pope.  The State has its own railway station, a radiotransmitter station, and its own flag.  The Vatican mints currency, prints stamps, holds tribunals, and administers its own technical, economic and sanitary services.  The language of the state is Italian, however Latin is still used for official actions.  Vatican City came into being on February 11, 1929 with the Lateran Pacts.  This agreement between Italy and the Pope put an end to nearly fifty years of disputations between church and state.  The accord was pressed by Mussolini who saw that the Catholic church had great influence on the Italian people.  The Vatican Palace—residence of the Popes—encircles St. Peters Basilica, but also includes both the Sistine and Pauline Chapels, the Raphael Rooms and Loggias, the Vatican Library, the Vatican Museums, and the Art Gallery.  The Papal State is about 440,000 square meters (108.726 acres), of which 55,000 meters (about 13.6 acres) are occupied by the Apostolic Palace and 25,000 (6.2 acres) by about twenty courtyards and piazzas (which include St. Peter’s Square).