Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1909-04-13
Making OF 4 SAINT
FIRST METHODS ADOPTED IN
JOAN OF ARCS eEArIFIcA.
TON APRIL 10.

issSsN HTnl6 l0A
MANY WILL WITNESS
IMPOSING CEREMONY
tmmsnss Amount Of information Must
Be co'lected-Ten Years Spent Prov.
Ing Maid Of Orleans Performed
Miracles.
Large numbers Of English and
French people win soon gather at st.
Peters, In Rome, to witness ceremony
which is Of interest to both nations
April 10 Glow Sunday is the date fix
ed for the beatifcation Of Joan Of Arc,
who nearly 800 years ago fought for
her country against England and who
Englishmen remember with regret
was put to death at Rouen. When the
deed was done 1t 10 recorded that one
Of the English soldiers said, 1--WE have
burned saint"
Now. after lapse of all these years.
the Roman Catholic church is about to
take the first step toward making her
q saint After tie ceremony April IS
she viii be called Blessed Joan Of
Arc" and perhaps ten years hence, If
the church so decreeA may be again
promoted and become ''St. JOAN"
The process Of making a saint is an
Interesting one and may be called
series Of trials, at which all known
details Of the life Of the person are
discussed. As rule, it is the bishop
Of the town in which the person was
born who makes the first move. He
obtains the support Of number Of
other bishops. who sign a petition to
the. pope asking permission for the
trial II the pope gives his sanction
the moving bishop calls meeting Of
influential dignitaries, priests and lay
men, who may have special knowl-
edge. At this first meeting methods
may be discussed for obtaining the
necessary evidence. In the case Of
Joan Of Arc ten years were spent in
gathering the facts. In all cases an
Immense amount Of information must
be collected,
In the course Of time a report is
prepared which Is sent to Rome and
Is considered by the body called the
congregation Of rites" More delay
VII; come here. Possibly the report
may be referred back to the makers
for more information. But even II
this is not necessary the congregation
Of rites may keep 1t under considera-
ton for four or five years.
It may decide that the life Of the
person was very worthy and very
holy one, but It requires much more
than that. It must be proved to
Its satisfaction that miracles have
been performed. The congregation of
rites requires evidence Of not fewer
than three miracles. In the case Of
miraculous cures it must be shown
that doctors have pronounced the case
hopeless or that diseases have been
cured which doctors call tncurable.
Usually the report contains particu-
lars Of a number Of miracles" from
which the congregation Of rites may
make selection.
The three chosen among those at
tributed to Joan Of Arc relate to the
curing OF nuns belonging to different
communities, who are said to have OBJ
tanned relief from their diseases by her
1ntercession. One Of these nuns had
suffered for years from cancer and
was on the point Of death when, it
was claimed, she was instantly. cured
by prayer Of Joan Of Arc.
When the congregation Of rites has
been satisfied as to the authenticity of
three miracles they prepare their re-
port, which is submitted to the pope,
who considers 1t. There is then a
gathering at the Vatican, to which the
public is admitted. Cardinals and bish-
ops are present, and a lawyer Of the
papal court reads out the decision.
After this the ceremony Of beatifca-
tton generally takes place within a
few months. It is held at st. Peters
at about 8 or 10 o'clock in the morning
In the presence Of the congregation of
rites and numerous other dignitaries.
The ceremony is performed before the
altar Of the chair Of st. Peter, and as
. rule it attracts many people.
The actual decree of beatifcation is
read out by the notary" 1t contains
3 brief account Of the "trial' and also
q short history Of the life and an
nounces that the holy father declares
that this person is worthy Of the wor-
ship I'm correct technical sense) of the
church and that henceforth the word
''beata'' 0blessed) will be placed before
the name.
] When the ceremony Of beatifying
Joan Of Are takes place big picture
Of ''the Maid Of Orleans" will be
placed in front Of the altar. This will
be surrounded by flowers and electric
lights and will be covered with cur
,tains until the decree has been read.
It will then be unveiled, and the cleo
trio lamps will throw glare of light
upon It while the ''Te Deum" is sung
and high mass celebrated. In the aft
ternoon Of the same day the pope will
30 to pray before the picture and will
assist at the benediction Of the blessed
sacrament.
/ The process described seems elab-
crate, yet 1t Is only the second step in
Do,horc IN,