The Caucasian. (Shreveport, La.) 1900-192?, 1909-04-22
MAKING OF A SAINT,
First Methods Adopted In Joan
of Arcs Qualification.
MOST IMPOSING CEREMONY.

Immense Amount of Information Must
Be CoIiected-Ten Years Spent Prov
ing Maid Of Orleans Performed
Miracles.
Large numbers Of English and
French people will soon gather at St
Peters, in Rome, to witness a ceremony
which is of interest to both nations
April IS LOW Sunday is the date fix
ed for the Qualification Of Joan of Arc.
who nearly 500 years ago fought for
her country against England and who.
Engiishmen remember with regret.
was put to death at Houen. When the
deed was done it is recorded that one
Of the English soldiers said I'VE have
burned a saint"
Now, after a lapse Of all these years.
the Roman Catholic church is about to
take the first step toward making her
a saint After the ceremony April IS
she will be called blessed Joan Of
Arc" and perhaps ten years hence. if
the church SO DEGREES. 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. Mt which all known
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. If the pope gives his sanction
the moving bishop calls a meeting of
influential dignitaries. priests and lay
men, who may have special knOwl-
edge. At this !Yst meeting methods
may be discuss4d for obtaining the
necessary evidence. In the case OF
gathering the facts. In all cases an
immense amount of Information must
be collected.
In the course of time report is
prepared which is sent to Rome and
Is considered by the body called the
will come here. Possibly the report
may be referred back to the makers
for more information. But even if
this is not necessary the congregation
Of rites may keep it under considera-
ton for four or five years.
1t may decide that the life Of the
person was a very worthy and very
holy one, but it requires much more
than that 1t 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 incurable.
Usually the report contains particu-
lars of a number of miracles" from
which the congregation of rites may
make a 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
intercessiOn. 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 it. 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 beatifica-
ton generally takes place within
few months. ut Is held ut st. Peters
at about 9 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 Qualification is
read out by the notary" 1t contains
a brief account of the trial. and also
a 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" (blesseO will be placed before
the name.
When the ceremony Of beatifying
Joan Of Arc takes place a big picture
OF 1.-The Maid Of Orleans will be
placed In front of the altar This will
be surrounded by flowers and electric
lights and will he covered with cur
tains until the decree has been read.
1t will then be unveiled, and the cleo
trio lamps will throw a glare Of light
upon it while the ''Te Deum'' is sung
and high mass celebrated In the aft
ern0on OF the same day the pope will
go to pray before the picture and will
assist at the benediction Of the blessed
The process described seems elab
crate. yet it is only the second step in