Editing Beatification (section)

{{Short description|Solemn declaration by the pope about the holy life of a person on earth}}
{{for|the process of making something beautiful|Beautification}}
{{for|the stages of becoming a Catholic Saint|Canonization#Since 1983}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2023}}
[[File:Pope Pius IX.jpg|thumb|[[Pope Pius IX]] (1792–1878), beatified on 3 September 2000 by [[Pope John Paul II]]]]
[[File:An insignia of the Blessed Fr Michael Iwene Tansi on his relic.jpg|thumb|[[Cyprian Michael Iwene Tansi|Blessed Cyprian Michael Iwene Tansi]], first and only [[Nigerian]] to attain any level of official [[sainthood]]. He was beatified by [[Pope John Paul II|Pope St. John Paul II]] on 22 March 1998]]
[[File:Ioannes Paulus II in Germany (1980).jpg|alt=|thumb|[[Pope Saint John Paul II]] (1920–2005) beatified more people than all his predecessors had during the previous 400 years, and was himself beatified six years after his death, on [[Divine Mercy Sunday]] 2011.]]

'''Beatification''' (from [[Latin]] {{lang|la|beatus}}, "blessed" and {{lang|la|facere}}, "to make") is a recognition accorded by the [[Catholic Church]] of a deceased person's entrance into Heaven and capacity to [[intercede]] on behalf of individuals who pray in their name. ''Beati'' is the plural form, referring to those who have undergone the process of beatification; they possess the title of "Blessed" ({{IPAc-en|ˈ|b|l|ɛ|s|ɪ|d}}) (abbreviation "Bl.") before their names and are often referred to in English as "a Blessed" or, plurally, "Blesseds".<ref>{{Cite web|title=American Saints and Blesseds {{!}} USCCB|url=https://www.usccb.org/prayer-and-worship/prayers-and-devotions/saints/american-saints-and-blesseds|access-date=2020-09-20|website=usccb.org}}</ref>

It is the third stage of the ordinary process of [[Canonization#Since 1983|official recognitions]] for Catholic saints: [[Servant of God]], [[Venerable#Catholic|Venerable]], Blessed, and [[Saint]].