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Congregation for the Causes of Saints, Instruction for Conducting Diocesan or Eparchial Inquiries in Causes of Saints, Sanctorum Mater, 17 May 2007.
Chapter VI.	Medical Experts "ab inspectione"
Title I.	"Declaration on the Absence of Cult"
On 7 February 1983, the same Supreme Pontiff approved the Normae servandae in Inquisitionibus ab Episcopis faciendis in causis Sanctorum, which establish the special norms to be observed in diocesan or eparchial Inquiries for causes of beatification and canonization.6 After the promulgation of the Apostolic Constitution and of the Normae servandae, the Congregation, in light of its experience, is publishing the present Instruction7 in order to facilitate a closer collaboration in the causes of Saints between the Holy See and the Bishops.
The present Instruction intends to clarify the dispositions of currently existing laws in the causes of Saints, to facilitate their application and indicate the ways of executing them both in recent and in ancient causes. Thus, it is directed to diocesan Bishops, to Eparchs, to those who are equivalent to them in law, and to those who participate in the instructory phase of the Inquiries. The Instruction deals, in a chronological manner, with the procedural course of diocesan or eparchial Inquiries, established by the Normae servandae, indicating in a practical and chronological manner, their application while safeguarding the seriousness of the Inquiries.
First of all, it deals with the instruction of diocesan or eparchial Inquiries that regard the heroic virtues or martyrdom of Servants of God. Before deciding to initiate the cause, the Bishop will have to verify some facts that will determine his decision. After having decided to initiate the cause, he will begin the real and actual Inquiry by ordering the gathering of the documentary proofs of the cause. If no insurmountable difficulties are revealed, he will proceed to hear witnesses and, finally, to close the Inquiry and send the acts to the Congregation where the Roman phase of the cause will begin, that is, the phase of the study and definitive judgment of the cause itself.
In regard to Inquiries about alleged miracles, the Instruction indicates some elements of the procedure that, in these last twenty years, have been problematic in the application of the norms regarding the very Inquiries about miracles.
§2. These causes have, as their scope, the gathering of the proofs in order to attain moral certitude on the heroic virtues or the martyrdom of the Servant of God whose beatification and canonization are asked.
Art. 3 - In the present Instruction, the norms are the same for diocesan Bishops and Eparchs as well as for those who have the same powers in law according to can. 381 §2 CIC.
Art. 4 - §1. The cause of beatification and canonization regards a Catholic who in life, in death and after death has enjoyed a reputation of holiness by living all the Christian virtues in an heroic manner; or enjoys a reputation of martyrdom because, having followed Christ more closely, he has sacrificed his life in the act of martyrdom.
§2. The Catholic whose cause of beatification and canonization has been initiated is called Servant of God.
Art. 10 - §1. The petitioner of the cause may be the diocesan or eparchial Bishop ex officio, juridic persons, such as dioceses or eparchies, equivalent structures that have jurisdiction, parishes, Institutes of Consecrated Life or Societies of Apostolic Life, or clerical and/or lay Associations of the faithful recognized by ecclesiastical authority.
Art. 11 - §1. The juridic or physical person establishes itself as the petitioner of the cause by means of a notarized document.
§2. The Bishop is to accept this act after having verified the ability of the juridic or physical person to assume the obligations inherent to the role of petitioner.
§2. In the name of the same petitioner the postulator follows the course of the Inquiry with diocesan or eparchial authorities.
§3. The office of postulator can be filled by a priest, a member of an Institute of Consecrated Life, of a Society of Apostolic Life, or of a clerical and/or lay Association, or by a layman or a laywoman.
Art. 14 - §1. The diocesan or eparchial postulator may be substituted by others who are called vice-postulators.
Art. 15 - §1. During the instruction of the Inquiry, the diocesan or eparchial postulator or vice-postulator is to reside in the diocese or eparchy in which the Inquiry is being instructed.
§3. If the postulator of the diocesan or eparchial phase of the cause is the postulator general of an Institute of Consecrated Life, of a Society of Apostolic Life or of a clerical and/or lay Association to which the Servant of God belonged, the postulator maintains his office even in the Roman phase without a new mandate.
Art. 16 - The postulator of the Roman phase of the cause may not appoint a vice-postulator as his substitute to deal with the Congregation.
Art. 17 - §1. First and foremost the postulator is to conduct research into the life of the Servant of God, which is useful for knowing the reputation of holiness or of martyrdom, the reputation of intercessory power and of the importance of the cause for the Church.
Art. 19 - §1. The postulator must hand over to the experts in historical matters and in matters that pertain to archives all the documents of the cause that may be in his possession.
§3.The task of gathering the proofs, according to the norm of law, belongs only to the diocesan or eparchial Bishop and to those who will be duly nominated for this task according to what is established by the Normae servandae.
Art. 22 - §1. Upon the request of the Bishop who intends to initiate the cause, the Congregation can transfer competence to another ecclesiastical forum, that is, to another diocese or eparchy, for particular reasons (e.g., where the more important proofs are located or where the Servant of God spent the greater part of his life).
§2. The requesting Bishop must obtain the written consent of the competent Bishop.§3. In the cause of a group of martyrs, it will be necessary to obtain the written consent of all the Bishops of the dioceses or eparchies where the Servants of God died.
§2. In the request he is to explain the reasons for the transfer of competence and, at the same time, attach a photocopy of the written consent of the competent Bishop.
§2. The requesting Bishop is to begin the diocesan or eparchial Inquiry only after he has received the rescript of the Congregation.
§3. Before accepting the Libellus, the Bishop must verify whether, in that period of time, an authentic reputation of holiness or of martyrdom and of intercessory power has developed among the People of God.
Art. 26 - §1. If the Libellus is presented after more than thirty years have passed since the death of the Servant of God, the postulator must specify the reasons which have caused such a delay.
Art. 27 - §1. The Bishop is to attest to the absence of fraud or deceit by means of a written declaration in which he is to clarify the particular reasons for the delay.
Art. 28 - §1. The procedure to be followed in the instruction of the diocesan or eparchial Inquiry is determined by the type of proofs.
§2. A cause may be recent or ancient.
Art. 31 - §1. If one intends to prove the heroicity of the virtues of the Servant of God, the Inquiry must be instructed "on the ljfe, the heroic virtues and the reputation of holiness and of intercessory power."
§2. In such causes, one Servant of God must be chosen as the head of the group and the other individuals listed as companions and alleged martyrs.
§3. If possible, the Bishop is to include in one group men and women Servants of God who represent the various states of life in the Church.
Art. 34 - If the decree of confirmation of cult of an ancient Blessed has been published, as has happened in the past, without the previous demonstration of heroic virtues or martyrdom, in view to the canonization of the ancient Blessed, the Bishop is to proceed to the instruction of the Inquiry into the life and heroic virtues or martyrdom by following the procedure established by the Normae servandae for ancient causes.
Art. 35 - Once the decree on the confirmation of cult and on the heroic virtues or martyrdom of the Blessed has been promulgated, the ancient Blessed may proceed to canonization by means of the approval of one miracle that took place after the confirmation of cult.
§2. In the case of allegedly miraculous healings, medical and clinical documents as well as test results are necessary (e.g., clinical records, medical records, laboratory exams and analyses).
§2. If, for just reasons, the Bishop should decide not to accept the written request, he must communicate his decision to the postulator by means of a decree in which he is to explain his reasons for it.
§2. In the case of Eastern Churches, the Bishop must seek the opinion of the Synod of Bishops of Churches who are headed by a Patriarch or a Major Archbishop, or else of the Council of Hierarchs of Metropolitan Churches sui iuris as to whether it is advisable to initiate the cause.
Art. 42 - §1. In order better to express collegiality this opinion is to be sought during a meeting of the same Bishops.
§2. The result of the meeting is to be communicated in writing to the Bishop, who sought the opinion, preferably by the President of the Conference of Bishops, by the Patriarch, by the Major Archbishop or by the Metropolitan of Metropolitan Churches sui iuris, and signed also by the Secretary of the respective Conference, Synod or Council.
Art. 43 - §1. The Bishop must make public the petition of the postulator to initiate the cause in his own diocese or eparchy by means of an edict that is to be affixed to the Cathedral Church or published in the diocesan newspaper.
§2. If he thinks it advisable, he is to make it public in other dioceses or eparchies as well, with the consent of the respective Bishops.
§2. The Bishop is to send to the Congregation his request for the nihil obstat together with a short report in which he illustrates the biographical data of the Servant of God (date, place and diocese of birth and of death, activity in the Church, etc.) and the importance of the cause for the Church.
§2. The Officials of the Inquiry are: the Episcopal Delegate, the Promotor of Justice, the Notary and, in the case of the Inquiry into an allegedly miraculous healing, the Medical Expert or, in that of the Inquiry into an alleged miracle of another nature, the Technical Expert.
Art. 48 - §1. By means of a decree the Bishop must nominate all the Officials for each and every Inquiry.
Art. 49 - No Official may carry out more than one office in the same Inquiry.
Art. 50 - §1. When the Inquiry regards a Servant of God belonging to an Institute of Consecrated Life, to a Society of Apostolic Life or to a clerical and/or lay Association of the faithful, the Bishop must not entrust an office to those who belong to the same Institute, Society or Association.
§2. This oath is to be taken during the First or Opening Session of the Inquiry.
§3. All are to sign their names at the bottom of the relative formula of the oath that is to be inserted into the acts of the First Session itself.
Art. 52 - When the Inquiry is concluded with the Last or Closing Session, all those who have taken part in the Inquiry lose their office, including the diocesan or eparchial postulator and vice-postulator.
Art. 55 - Only one Episcopal Delegate is to be nominated for each cause.
Art. 56 - §1. The Promotor of Justice must be vigilant so that everything prescribed by law is faithfully observed in instructing the cause.
§2. He must also see to it that all the acts and documents relative to the object of the Inquiry have been gathered in a thorough manner.
Art. 58 - Only one Promotor of Justice is to be nominated for each cause.
§2. If necessary, the Bishop is to nominate Adjunct Notaries.
§3. Any Catholic may carry out this office.
Art. 60 - §1. In the Inquiry on an allegedly miraculous healing, the Bishop must nominate a Medical Expert.
§2. In the Inquiry on an allegedly miraculous fact of another nature, the Bishop must nominate a Technical Expert.
§2. The Sessions must not be conducted in a house of the Institute of Consecrated Life, of the Society of Apostolic Life or of the Association to which the Servant of God belonged.
§3. If the quantity of the published writings demands it, they can be subdivided among various Censors provided that each writing is examined by at least two Censors.
Art. 63 - §1. The names of the Theological Censors must remain secret.
§3. The oaths are to be written down and, together with the decrees of nomination, inserted into the acts of the Inquiry.
§3. In their opinions the Theological Censors are also to delineate the personality and spirituality of the Servant of God.
Art. 65 - §1. Each Theological Censor must express his opinion separately and in writing.
§2. When he hands over his own opinion to the Bishop, each Censor must swear an oath to have fulfilled faithfully his office.
§3. The oath is to be transcribed and inserted into the acts of the Inquiry.
Art. 66 - According to general practice in the causes of Saints, the Theological Censors are not called to testify regarding their opinions.
§2. Such a nomination may be useful for consulting the archives of the Institute, Society or Association to which the Servant of God belonged.
§2. The oath is to be transcribed and inserted into the acts of the Inquiry.
§3. The experts are to sign at the bottom of the respective formula of the oath.
§2. A simple list of the writings and documents discovered during the search is not sufficient.
Art. 73 - §1. After the search and collection of the unpublished writings and documents have been concluded, the experts must prepare one single, precise and detailed Report, that, together with the documentation gathered, they are to hand over to the Bishop or his Delegate.
Art. 75 - §1. The Report must be signed in solidum, that is, by all the experts of the Historical Commission.
Art. 77 - §1. Recent and ancient causes follow the same procedure.
§2. The witnesses, therefore, are heard only after the gathering of documentary proofs, foreseen in Part IV: Gathering of Documentary Proofs of the present Instruction, unless there is a possibility of losing the oral depositions of eyewitnesses. In such a case, the provision of "lest proofs be lost" ("ne pereant probationes"), that is dealt with in Artt. 82-84 of the present Instruction, may be invoked.
§3. The Promotor of Justice is to sign the Interrogatories and add the place and date at the end of them.
Art. 79 - §1. The Interrogatories are to be prepared in such a way so as to elicit the responses that show knowledge of concrete facts and the source of that knowledge on the part of the witness.
§4. In the case of the Inquiry on the virtues, the Interrogatories must contain questions that require, on the part of the witness, precise and specific examples of the exercise of the individual virtues.
§2. The postulator or the vice postulator may make biographical data of the Servant of God available to the witnesses.
§2. On the basis of the aforementioned provision, these witnesses may be heard even before the gathering of documentary proofs has been completed.
§3. For taking the testimony of such witnesses, the Bishop must proceed according to what is contained in Artt. 47-61 and Artt. 86-115 of the present Instruction.
Art. 83 - §1. In the case in which a person may wish to leave testimony on the life or death of someone whose cause is not in progress, he may give to the Bishop a declaration written "ad futuram rei memoriam."
§2. Such a declaration must be signed by the writer and countersigned by an ecclesiastical or civil Notary in order to be accepted as proof in an eventual cause.
§3. The Bishop is to keep the declaration in a safe place in the diocesan or eparchial Chancery.
Art. 84 - The author of the declaration "ad futuram rei memoriam" must be called to testify in the eventual diocesan or eparchial Inquiry.
Art. 85 - §1. The place and time of the Sessions are to be communicated in ample time to the Promotor of Justice, the Notary or the Adjunct Notary and to the witnesses that are called to testify.
Art. 86 - §1. The First Session of the Inquiry, conducted for the swearing of the oaths of all the Officials of the Inquiry, is to be presided over by the diocesan or eparchial Bishop.
§2. For just reasons, he may nominate, by means of decree, a priest as his substitute.
Art. 90 - §1. The office of the Notary of the First Session must be distinct from that of the Notary and the Adjunct Notary of the Inquiry.
Art. 91 - §1. Since his specific function is to be the protector of the public good in causes of great importance, the Promotor of Justice must participate, in an active and methodical manner, with physical and continuous presence, at all the single Sessions of the Inquiry, and in direct collaboration with the Episcopal Delegate.
§3. The Promotor of Justice may be absent only for grave reasons and this must be recorded in the acts of the relative Session of the Inquiry.
§3. Should the Expert consider it expedient to ask specific questions of a witness who has already been examined, it is recommended that the witness be recalled to testify.
§4. The Expert may be absent only for grave reasons that are to be transcribed and inserted into the acts of the relative Session of the Inquiry.
Art. 93 - §1. With a view towards the examination of the alleged miracle by the Congregation for the Causes of Saints, it is recommended that the Medical Expert prepare a report.
§2. In the report he is to express a judgment on the quality of the medical and technical witnesses.
§2. If it be the case, the postulator may ask the Bishop or his Delegate to supplement the proofs with new witnesses and/or documents.
§3. Taking the testimony of witnesses, who have received information about the Servant of God from others who have, in turn, only heard others speak of the Servant of God (de auditu ab audientibus), is not foreseen.
Art. 103 - §1. The witness must relate concrete facts and, in the case of the Inquiry on the virtues, precise examples of their heroic exercise.
Art. 104 - §1. If necessary or advisable, other witnesses may be called to testify at any time during the Inquiry.
§2. If a witness indicated by the Postulator or an ex officio witness has not been heard, the reasons must be put in writing in a document that is to be included in the acts of the relative Session of the Inquiry.
Art. 105 - §1. If the witness wishes to hand in a written declaration either at the time of his oral testimony or at another time, the Bishop or his Delegate may accept it.
§3. The written declaration must be included in the acts of the Inquiry.
Art. 106 - The written declaration does not substitute for the oral testimony of the author of the declaration.
§2. This report is to be included in the acts of the Inquiry.
Art. 108 - §1. If in the Inquiry on an allegedly miraculous healing the physicians who treated the person healed should refuse to prepare a written report about the illness and its course, the Bishop or his Delegate may nominate, by means of a decree, a third party, preferably an expert in the medical field, who may take the testimony of these physicians.
§2. This third party must take an oath to fulfil faithfully his task and to maintain the secret of office.
§3. The oath must be transcribed and inserted into the acts of the Inquiry.
§2. The Bishop or his Delegate must duly nominate these experts by means of a decree.
§4. Their decrees of nomination and oaths must be transcribed and inserted into the acts of the Inquiry.
§2. Their written opinions, prepared separately, are to be handed over to the Bishop or his Delegate and inserted into the acts of the Inquiry.
Art. 112 - A computer may also be used for gathering the depositions of the witnesses during the Sessions of the Inquiry.
Art. 114 - §1. If witnesses that reside in another diocese or eparchy must be heard, and they are unable to come to the diocese or eparchy where the Inquiry is being instructed, the Bishop a quo is to send to the Bishop ad quem a letter in which he asks that a Rogatory Inquiry be instructed. In this letter the Bishop is to indicate the names and addresses of the witnesses and attach a copy of the Interrogatories prepared by the Promotor of Justice.
§3. The witnesses must be heard by the Bishop or his Delegate, together with the Promotor of Justice and the Notary, according to those norms proper to the causes of Saints.
Art. 115 - §1. If expedient, the Bishop or his Delegate, the Promotor of Justice and the Notary of the cause, may go to the diocese or eparchy ad quem in order to hear the witnesses in residence there. First, the written authorization of the Bishop ad quem, in whose diocese or eparchy the witnesses reside, must be obtained.
§2. The letter of authorization must be inserted into the acts of the Inquiry.
Art. 116 - §1. The original acts (Archetype) of the Rogatory Inquiry, closed and stamped with the seals of the Bishop or his Delegate, are to be kept in the archive of the diocese or eparchy where the Rogatory Inquiry was instructed.
Title I - "Declaration on the Absence of Cult"
§2. Such dispositions do not impede, in any way, private devotion toward the Servant of God and the spontaneous spreading of his reputation of holiness or martyrdom and of intercessory power.
Art. 118 - §1. In observance of the above-mentioned dispositions, prior to the close of the Inquiry the Bishop or his Delegate must ensure that the Servant of God is not an object of unlawful cult.
§2. The declaration is to be inserted among the acts of the Inquiry.
§2. In the decree of publication, that is to be transcribed and inserted into the acts, the Bishop or his Delegate is to declare his decision to proceed to the definitive closing of the Inquiry.
Art. 121 - §1. In the causes of Saints, the publication of the original acts of the Inquiry (Archetype) consists in making them available to the Promotor of Justice who has the ex officio right and duty to examine them.
Art. 123 - The examination of the acts by the Promotor of Justice and by the postulator and/or vice-postulator must be recorded in writing and the relative document inserted into the acts of the Inquiry.
§2. The translator is to swear an oath to fulfil his task faithfully and to maintain the secret of office.
§3. The oath is to be transcribed and the relative document inserted into the acts of the Inquiry.
Art. 125 - §1. If advisable, the Bishop or his Delegate may allow the translation to be done during the procedural phase of the cause.
§3. Two copies of the translation of the acts are to be made.
Art. 126 - §1. One copy of the translation of the acts of the Inquiry is kept in the diocesan or eparchial chancery together with the acts in the original language (Archetype).
Art. 127 - The languages admitted by the Congregation for the study of causes are: Latin, English, French, Italian, Portuguese and Spanish.
Art. 128 - All the original acts of the diocesan or eparchial Inquiry constitute the Archetype.
§2. This copy of the original acts is called the Transcript.
Art. 130 - §1. For the preparation of the Transcript the Bishop or his Delegate is to nominate a Copier.
Art. 131 - §1. If the original acts of the Inquiry (Archetype) have been transcribed by hand or by a typewriter, the Copier may make one copy of them (Transcript).
Art. 132 - §1. Once the Transcript has been prepared in its final version, the Copier is to present it to the Bishop or his Delegate.
§2. The Copier is to swear an oath that he has faithfully fulfilled his task.
§3. The oath must be transcribed and the relative document inserted into the acts of the Session conducted specifically for the consignment of the Transcript.
Art. 133 - Generic affirmations, attesting to the diligence employed by the Copier in fulfilling his task, are not sufficient.
§2. At the same time, the Transcript is to be compared to the Archetype in order to verify that the content of the Transcript is absolutely faithful to that of the Archetype (Comparison of the Acts or "Auscultatio").
§3. The Copier is to check carefully the collation and the comparison of the Transcript to the Archetype in the presence of the Bishop or his Delegate, of the Promotor of Justice and of the Notary.
§3. Separate Sessions are to be held precisely for the collation and the comparison, and are to be recorded in writing.
Art. 136 - Generic affirmations by the Bishop or his Delegate, attesting to the performance of the collation and comparison of the acts of the Inquiry, are not sufficient.
Art. 138 - §1. The Bishop or his Delegate must nominate by decree the Carrier, that is, the Official charged with handing over to the Congregation for the Causes of Saints the acts of the diocesan or eparchial Inquiry.
Art. 139 - The postulator and/or vice-postulator may also act as the Carrier, provided he has been duly nominated for such a task.
Art. 141 - Before proceeding to the definitive closing of the Inquiry, the diocesan or eparchial Bishop may proceed to the canonical recognition of the mortal remains of the Servant of God, which is dealt with in Artt. 1 - 5 of the Appendix of the present Instruction.
Art. 142 - Once the instruction of the Inquiry has been completed, its original acts have been transcribed (Archetype), and the two copies of the Archetype (Transcript and Public Copy) have been prepared, the Inquiry is to be definitively closed with the celebration of the Last Session.
Art. 143 - §1. The diocesan or eparchial Bishop is to preside at the Last Session.
3.	the Bishop, the Episcopal Delegate, the Promotor of Justice, the Notary and the postulator and/or vice-postulator of the cause, are to swear separately that they have faithfully fulfilled their task and that they will maintain the secret of office.
§2. The oaths are to be transcribed and the relative documents inserted into the acts of this Last Session.
Art. 145 - §1. Before closing the packages containing the Archetype, the Transcript and the Public Copy, the Bishop is to order that the minutes of the Last Session are to be added to them.
§2. The Bishop is to order that the packages containing the Archetype are to be closed, sealed and kept in a safe place of the archive of the diocese or eparchy.
§3. If possible, a section of the diocesan or eparchial archive is to be reserved for the original acts of all the eventual Inquiries in the causes of Saints.
Art. 146 - §1. The packages containing the Transcript and the Public Copy are to be closed and stamped with the seal of the Bishop of the diocese or eparchy. In this way, the effective closing of the packages is guaranteed and the impossibility of tampering with the acts is assured.
§2. On each package the Bishop or his Delegate is to place the external inscription, or sheet of paper, that contains a declaration describing the contents of the package and attesting to its secure and definitive closing.
§3. The Bishop or his Delegate and the Notary of the Inquiry, who is to affix his seal, must sign the declaration.
Art. 147 - §1. The one who has presided over the Inquiry (the Bishop or his Delegate) is to hand over to the Carrier, together with the packages, a closed and sealed envelope containing the letter addressed to the Prefect of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints.
§3. He is to formulate any observations and insights that he considers useful for the study of the cause in the Roman phase.
Art. 150 - The Instrument of Closing, which is a declaration on letterhead stationery of the Bishop with which he certifies the contents of the packages and declares that they have been sealed, is also to be put into the envelope with the letters.
Art. 1 - §1. According to ancient tradition of the Church, relics of the Saints and the Blessed are an object of veneration, and their tombs places of pilgrimage.
Art. 2 - §1. It is necessary to certify that the mortal remains of a Servant of God whose cause is in progress are authentic.
§2. The Bishop of the diocese or eparchy where the remains are buried has competence to perform the canonical recognition of the mortal remains of the Servant of God, that is, the recognition of their authenticity.
Art. 4 - §1. In order to proceed to the canonical recognition, the competent Bishop may ask for instructions from the Congregation for the Causes of Saints.
§2. In his letter, he is to specify the exact place where the mortal remains of the Servant of God are kept (city, name of the church, chapel, public or private cemetery, etc.).
§3. If the remains must be transferred, he is also to include the project for the new place of burial of the Servant of God.
Art. 5 - Before doing anything to the mortal remains of a Servant of God, the diocesan or eparchial authorities must obtain the authorizations required by the local civil authorities.
Art. 6 - §1. In order to guarantee the best preservation of the relics of a Saint or of a Blessed, it may be necessary to conduct specialized treatment on the relics.
§2. In order to perform any treatment on the relics, the competent Bishop is to ask the permission of the Congregation.
§3. In the letter, he is to specify the exact place in which the relics or mortal remains are kept, the reasons for the treatment and the nature of the operations that are to be performed.
Art. 7 - §1. When the beatification or canonization is near, the Bishop, who intends to prepare relics from the mortal remains of the Venerable or the Blessed, must obtain the permission of the Congregation.
§2. Since the pontifical conferral of the title Venerable does not carry with it any concession of cult, the Bishop must see to it that, before the beatification, every sign of public ecclesiastical cult is scrupulously avoided.
Art. 8 - It is the competence of the postulator of the cause to prepare such relics and draw up certificates of their authenticity.
Art. 9 - §1. In order to make the relics of a Blessed or the mortal remains of a Servant of God more accessible to the devotion of the people of God, it may be feasible to transfer them definitively from one place to another (e.g., from a cemetery to a church or chapel).
§2. The diocesan or eparchial Bishop who is competent to transfer the relics must ask the permission of the Congregation in order to proceed.
Art. 10 - §1. In the letter addressed to the Prefect of the Congregation he must specify the exact place in which they are presently found and the place chosen for their definitive repose.
§2. The project for the new place of burial of the Blessed or the Servant of God is also to be included in the same letter.
Art. 11 - Before asking the permission of the Congregation, the diocesan or eparchial authorities must obtain the permissions required by local civil law.
Art. 12 - §1. If the transfer is done from one diocese or eparchy to another, the Bishop who intends to receive the relics of the Blessed or the mortal remains of the Servant of God (the Bishop ad quem) must ask the consent of the Bishop of the diocese or eparchy where the remains of the Blessed or the Servant of God (the Bishop a quo) are located.
§2. In his letter addressed to the Congregation, the Bishop ad quem is to attach a copy of the letter of consent of the Bishop a quo.
Art. 13 - When conducting the transfer, the Bishop is to take care that every sign of unlawful cult to a Servant of God, who is not yet beatified, is scrupulously avoided.
Art. 15 - In all the above-mentioned cases the Congregation will send to the Bishops involved the rescript granting the permission and a specific Instruction indicating the procedure to be followed.
The present Instruction was submitted for examination to the Cardinals and Bishops who are Members of this Congregation, and who met in Plenary Session from the 24th until the 26th days of April 2006. On the 22nd day of February 2007, Feast of the Chair of Saint Peter, the Supreme Pontiff Benedict XVI approved it and ordered its publication.
Given at Rome, from the offices of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints, on the Feast of the Ascension of the Lord, this 17th day of May 2007.
1 Cfr. Second Ecumenical Vatican Council, Dogmatic Constitution Lumen Gentium, nn. 50-51.
2 Cfr. Acta Apostolicae Sedis 75 (1983), 349-355. In the present Instruction, the Apostolic Constitution, Divinus perfectionis Magister, will be cited with the symbol DPM.
5 In the present Instruction, the Code of Canon Law of 1917 and that of 1983 will be cited with the symbol CIC and the respective year of promulgation. The Code of Canons of the Eastern Churches of 1990 will be cited with the symbol CCEO.
6 Cfr. Acta Apostolicae Sedis 75 (1983), 396-403. In the present Instruction, the Normae servandae in Inquisitionibus ab Episcopis faciendis in causis Sanctorum will be cited with the symbol NS and the respective number of the Norms.
7 Cfr. Can. 34 CIC 1983.
8 Cfr. Lumen Gentium, n. 50; DPM, Introduction.
9 Cfr. can. 1403 CIC 1983; can. 1057 CCEO.
10 Cfr. infra Artt.29 §2 e 30 §2; can.1403 §2 1983; can. 1400 CIC 1983; can. 1055 CCEO.
11 Cfr. cann. 1999-2141 in Book IV - De Processibus. Pars Secunda: De Causis Beaticationis Servorum Dei et Canonizatione Beatorum, CIC 1917.
12 "Fama autem sanctitatis in genere nihil aliud est, quam existimatio seu communis opinio depuritate et integritate vita e, et de virtutibus ..., necnon de miraculis eorum intercessione a Deo patratis; ita ut, concepta in uno vel pluribus locis erga eos (Servos Dei) devotione, aplerisque in suis necessitatibus invocentur" (BENEDICT XIV, De Servorum Dei beatificatione et Beatorum canonizatione, L. II, cap. 39, n. 7).
13 "Pariter fama Martyrii in genere nihil aliud est, quam existimatio et communis opinio, quod aliquis vel aliquaprofide Christi, vel pro virtute, quae adfidem Christi deducatur, illatam sibi mortem patienter tulerint, et quod signa seu miracula eorum intercessione ... secuta sint; ita ut, apud plerosque concepta devoione, in suis necessitatibus invocentur." ibid.
14 "ita ut, concepta in uno velpluribus locis erga eos (Servos Dei) devoione, a plerisque in suis necessitatibus invocentur ... ita ut, apud plerosque concepta devotione, in suis necessitatibus invocentur." ibid.
15 Cfr infra Art. 40 §1.
16 "ut probetur fama in genere, spontanea, non arte aut diligentia humana procurata, orta ab honestis et gravibus personis, continua, in dies aucta et vigens in praesenti apud maiorem partem populi": cfr can. 2050 §2 CIC 1917.
18 Cfr infra Art. 40.
19 Cfr infra Art. 89, n. 2.
20 DPM I, 1; NS n.1, a.
21 NS n. 1, a.
22 NS n . 2, a.
24 NS n. 2, a.
25 Cfr infra Art. 89, n. 3.
28 Cfr supra Art. 8.
29 NS n . 3, b; cfr supra Art. 8.
30 NS n. 3, c.
31 Cfr infra Art. 68 §3.
33 NS n. 5, a.
34 NS n. 5, b.
35 NS n. 5, a.
36 Cfr infra Art. 89, n. 1.
37 Cfr infra Art. 36 §1; can. 1501 CIC 1983; can. 1104 §2 CCEO.
38 NS n. 9, a.
39 NS n. 9, b.
40 Cfr infra Art. 89, n. 5.
42 Cfr infra Art. 37, n. 3; Art. 2 §3.
44 Cfr infra Art. 37, n.3, b; Art. 2 §3.
46 Cfr can. 2001 §1 CIC 1917.
47 Cfr supra Art. 30. The Servant of God who, after the pontificate of Pope Alexander III (1159-1181) and before the time established by the constitution of Pope Urban VIII (1623-1644), is ex tolerantia an object of cult according to the Decrees of Urban VIII can be considered an ancient Blessed: cfr can. 2125 §1 CIC 1917.
48 Cfr infra Art. 37.
49 Cfr supra Art. 25 §1.
50 DPM I, 2. 5°; NS n. 32.
51 Cfr can. 1504 CIC 1983; can. 1187 CCEO.
52 NS n. 10, 1°.
53 NS n. 10, 2°.
55 NS n. 15, b.
56 NS n. 33, a.
57 Cfr infra Art. 89, n. 4.
58 NS n. 3, b; cfr supra Art. 7 §1 e Art. 8 §2.
59 NS n. 11, a.
60 Cfr infra Art. 89, n. 6.
61 NS n. 11, b.
62 Cfr infra Art. 89, n. 7.
63 NS n. 12, a.
64 NS n. 12, b.
65 NS n .15, c.
66 Cfr infra Art. 89, n. 8.
67 NS n. 27, a.
68 Cfr can. 470 CIC 1983; can. 252 CCEO.
69 Cfr infra Art. 89, n. 9.
70 Cfr infra Art. 69 §1.
71 NS n. 6, c.
72 DPM I, 1.; NS n. 6, a.
73 NS n. 6, a.
74 Cfr infra Art. 91.
75 NS n. 6, b.
76 NS n. 16, a; cfr can. 484, n. 2 CIC 1983; can. 254, n. 2 CCEO.
77 NS n. 15, a; cfr infra Art. 81.
78 NS n. 34, a; cfr infra Art. 92 §2.
79 Cfr can. 1468; can. 1558 §1 CIC 1983; can. 1127; can. 1239 §1 CCEO.
80 DPM I. 2,2°; NS n. 13; cfr supra Art. 37, n. 2.
81 "Nomine scriptorum veniunt non modo opera inedita Servi Dei, sed etiam quae iam typisfuerint impressa; item conciones, epistolae, diaria, autobiographiae, quidquid denique vel ipse per se, vel aliena manu exaraverit": cfr can. 2042 CIC 1917.
82 NS n. 6, c.
83 NS n . 13.
84 Cfr infra Art. 74.
85 Cfr infra Art. 89, n. 10.
86 NS n. 14, b.
87 NS n. 14, a.
88 Cfr supra Art. 19 §2.
89 Cfr supra Art. 50 §2.
90 NS n. 6, c.
92 Cfr infra Art. 89, n. 11.
93 NS n. 14, c.
95 Cfr infra Art. 89, n. 11.
96 Cfr supra Art. 64 §2.
97 NS n. 21, b; cfr infra Art. 96, n. 4.
98 NS n. 21, b.
99 NS n. 16, c.
100 NS 15, a; cfr supra Art. 37, Art. 64 §1 e Artt. 68- 75.
101 NS n. 15, a; cfr supra Art. 60 §3.
102 Cfr can. 1563 CIC 1983; can. 1244 CCEO.
103 Cfr can. 1564 CIC 1983; can. 1245 CCEO.
104 Cfr Conoscenza degli Interrogatori prima dell'Inchiesta, the decision of the Congregation of 12 November 1999, Prot. N. VAR. 4959/99; cfr also can. 1565 §1 CIC 1983; can. 1246 §1 CCEO.
105 NS n. 33, a; cfr supra Art. 60 §3.
106 DPM I. 2,4°; NS n. 16, a; cfr supra Art. 77 §2; can. 2087 §3 CIC 1917.
107 Cfr can. 1556 CIC 1983; can. 1237 CCEO.
108 Cfr can. 1557 CIC 1983; can. 1238 CCEO.
109 Cfr infra Art. 143§3.
110 Cfr supra Artt. 47 §2 e 48.
111 NS n. 6, c; cfr supra Art. 51 §2.
112 NS n. 36; cfr infra Art. 143 §4.
113 Cfr supra Art. 24 §1.
114 Cfr supra Art. 8 §3.
115 Cfr supra Art. 13 §2.
116 Cfr supra Art. 39.
117 Cfr supra Art. 27 §2.
118 Cfr supra Art. 42 §3.
119 Cfr supra Art. 43 §4.
120 Cfr supra Art. 46.
121 Cfr supra Art. 48 §3.
122 Cfr supra Art. 67.
123 Cfr supra Artt. 72 §1e73 §4.
124 Cfr can. 474 CIC 1983.
125 Cfr supra Art. 56 §3.
128 Cfr supra Art. 60 §4.
129 Cfr infra Artt. 149-150.
130 Cfr can. 1559 CIC 1983; can. 1240 CCEO.
131 NS n. 27, c; cfr infra Art. 122.
132 NS n. 10, 3°; NS n. 15, b; cfr supra Art. 37, n. 3.
133 NS n. 21, a.
134 NS n. 21, b; cfr supra Art. 76.
135 NS n. 22, a; NS n. 34; cfr infra Art. 110 §3.
136 Cfr can. 1553 CIC 1983; can. 1234 CCEO.
139 Ibid N; cfr can. 1572 CIC 1983; can. 1253 CCEO.
140 Cfr can. 1548 §1 CIC 1983; can. 1229 §1 CCEO.
142 NS n. 20, n. 1°; cfr can. 1550 §2, n. 2° CIC 1983; can. 1231 §2, n. 2° CCEO.
143 NS n. 20, n. 2.
144 NS n. 20, n. 3; cfr can. 1550 §2, n. 1° CIC 1983; can. 1231 §2, n. 1° CCEO.
145 NS n. 23; cfr can. 1563 CIC 1983; can. 1244 CCEO.
146 NS n . 16, a; cfr can. 1569 §2 CIC 1983; can. 1250 §2 CCEO.
148 NS n. 22, b.
150 NS n. 34, b.
151 NS n. 6, c.
152 NS n . 34, b.
153 Ibid.; cfr supra Art. 96, n. 5.
154 Cfr can. 1567 §2 CIC 1983; can. 1248 §2 CCEO.
155 Cfr can. 1569 §1 CIC; can. 1250 §1 CCEO.
156 NS n. 16, a; can. 1569 §2 CIC 1983; can. 1250 §2 CCEO.
157 Cfr infra Artt. 128 e 131 §2.
160 The complete title of the collection of the decrees of Pope Urban VIII (1623** - 1644) is: Urbani VIII Pontificis Optimi Maximi DECRETA servanda in Canonizaione et Beatificatione Sanctorum. Accedunt Instruciones, et Declarationes quas Em.mi et Rev.mi S.R.E. Cardinales Praesulesque Romanae Curiae ad id muneris congregati ex eiusdem Summi Pontificis mandato condiderunt. (Romae: Ex Typographia Rev. Cam. Apostolicae, MDCXLII).
161 NS n. 28, a.
162 NS n. 28, b.
163 NS n. 28, a.
164 NS n. 27, b.
166 NS 27, c; cfr supra Art. 95.
168 NS n . 31, b.
170 Cfr infra Artt. 134- 137.
171 NS n . 31, b.
172 NS n . 29, a.
173 NS n. 6, c.
174 Cfr supra Art. 113.
177 NS n. 29, b.
178 Cfr supra Art. 135 §1.
179 NS n. 31, a; cfr infra Art. 145 §4.
180 NS n. 31, b.
181 Cfr supra Artt. 62 e 68.
182 Cfr supra Art. 127.
184 Cfr supra Art. 86 §2.
185 Cfr supra Art. 86 §3.
186 NS n. 36; cfr supra Art. 88.
187 NS n. 6, c.
188 NS n. 31, a; cfr supra Art. 138 §2.
189 NS n. 31, c.
190 Cfr supra Artt. 56 e 91.
191 Cfr supra Art. 93.
192 DPM II, 3; cfr. Apost. Const. Pastor Bonus, Art. 74.
193 Cfr Apost. Const. Pastor Bonus, Art. 69.
194 Cfr supra Art. 141; can. 2096 CIC 1917.
195 Cfr can. 1190 §1 CIC 1983, can. 888 §2 CCEO.

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