# Pope Canonizes Saint Anonymous...799 times in one day **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [June 12, 2013, 2:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pope-canonizes-saint-anonymous-799-times-in-one-day/660809 "2013-06-12T14:16:55Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 17\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2013, 2:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pope-canonizes-saint-anonymous-799-times-in-one-day/660809/1 "2013-06-12T14:16:55Z")
[It looks like Guinness is going to have to create a new category for their record book.](http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-22499327) ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2013, 8:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pope-canonizes-saint-anonymous-799-times-in-one-day/660809/2 "2013-06-12T20:17:51Z")
At least they avoided this [fate](http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0703.html). ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2013, 9:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pope-canonizes-saint-anonymous-799-times-in-one-day/660809/3 "2013-06-12T21:54:47Z")
I always thought that there was this long elaborate process to sainthood-when did they institute a group rate? ---
**Author:** ![Greg\_Charles](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/839c29/32.png) [@Greg\_Charles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Greg_Charles)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2013, 9:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pope-canonizes-saint-anonymous-799-times-in-one-day/660809/4 "2013-06-12T21:58:46Z")
If there weren’t really exactly 800 of them, then we could have the very first examples of canonized rounding errors. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2013, 10:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pope-canonizes-saint-anonymous-799-times-in-one-day/660809/5 "2013-06-12T22:24:20Z")
> [@Greg\_Charles](#): > > If there weren’t really exactly 800 of them, then we could have the very first examples of canonized rounding errors. Wouldn’t be the first mistake they made. There was that time Rome accidentally canonized Buddha. ---
**Author:** ![Diceman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/22d042/32.png) [@Diceman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diceman)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2013, 2:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pope-canonizes-saint-anonymous-799-times-in-one-day/660809/6 "2013-06-13T02:51:34Z")
It’s not unprecidented. There’s St. Charles Lwanga & Companions, who were massacred in Uganda. This is basically the same situation. ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2013, 3:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pope-canonizes-saint-anonymous-799-times-in-one-day/660809/7 "2013-06-13T03:48:38Z")
Or St. Paul Miki and his companions, in Japan. Knowing the Japanese there are probably records of exact names, but in any list of saints you’ll find them as St. Paul Miki and his companions. There’s many other cases like that; this bit from Wikipedia would have killed me at a later hour, but it’s 5:47am and my funnybone is still asleep: “205 Martyrs of Japan… also known as Alfonso Navarrete Benito, Pedro of Avila, Carlo Espinola, Ioachim Diaz Hirayama, Lucia de Freitas, and 200 Companion Martyrs of Japan.” ---
**Author:** ![rowrrbazzle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rowrrbazzle/32/414_2.png) [@rowrrbazzle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rowrrbazzle)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2013, 4:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pope-canonizes-saint-anonymous-799-times-in-one-day/660809/8 "2013-06-13T04:12:59Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > I always thought that there was this long elaborate process to sainthood-when did they institute a group rate? They were martyred in 1480. 633 years isn’t long enough? 😃 ---
**Author:** ![hogarth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hogarth/32/1773_2.png) [@hogarth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hogarth)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2013, 2:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pope-canonizes-saint-anonymous-799-times-in-one-day/660809/9 "2013-06-13T14:01:44Z")
For some reason, I thought that the Catholic church was de-canonizing (if that’s a word) some of the batch job saints recently (e.g. Saint Twenty-Thousand-Possibly-Fictional-Martyrs). Am I out to lunch? ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2013, 2:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pope-canonizes-saint-anonymous-799-times-in-one-day/660809/10 "2013-06-13T14:22:34Z")
> [@rowrrbazzle](#): > > They were martyred in 1480. 633 years isn’t long enough? 😃 But what if only 20 or thirty of those anonymous were actually responsible for any miracles that happened in their name? That’s several hundred slackers that got a free ride to sainthood! ---
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2013, 3:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pope-canonizes-saint-anonymous-799-times-in-one-day/660809/11 "2013-06-13T15:30:01Z")
I am not a Catholic theologian (paging **Bricker** , would **Bricker** please pick up the white courtesy phone?) but my understanding of Catholic teaching is that _everyone_ who is currently in heaven is a saint. The Pope does not make saints, he’s merely acknowledging that which has already been determined to be true. Therefore, if their status as martyrs means they’re in heaven, then they must be saints, regardless of whether their names are known or miracles can be specifically attributed to each of them. ---
**Author:** ![Aji\_de\_Gallina](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aji_de_gallina/32/260_2.png) [@Aji\_de\_Gallina](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aji_de_Gallina)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2013, 3:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pope-canonizes-saint-anonymous-799-times-in-one-day/660809/12 "2013-06-13T15:33:54Z")
> [@Smapti](#): > > I am not a Catholic theologian (paging **Bricker** , would **Bricker** please pick up the white courtesy phone?) but my understanding of Catholic teaching is that _everyone_ who is currently in heaven is a saint. The Pope does not make saints, he’s merely acknowledging that which has already been determined to be true. > > Therefore, if their status as martyrs means they’re in heaven, then they must be saints, regardless of whether their names are known or miracles can be specifically attributed to each of them. Yes, you’re right. Canonisation means you’re name is put in the “canon” (list) of saints. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2013, 3:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pope-canonizes-saint-anonymous-799-times-in-one-day/660809/13 "2013-06-13T15:36:58Z")
> [@Smapti](#): > > I am not a Catholic theologian (paging **Bricker** , would **Bricker** please pick up the white courtesy phone?) but my understanding of Catholic teaching is that _everyone_ who is currently in heaven is a saint. The Pope does not make saints, he’s merely acknowledging that which has already been determined to be true. > > Therefore, if their status as martyrs means they’re in heaven, then they must be saints, regardless of whether their names are known or miracles can be specifically attributed to each of them. That doesn’t really jibe with what I’ve seen and heard over the years: [Canonization](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canonization) ---
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2013, 4:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pope-canonizes-saint-anonymous-799-times-in-one-day/660809/14 "2013-06-13T16:40:36Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > That doesn’t really jibe with what I’ve seen and heard over the years: [Canonization](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canonization) Here’s what [the article on sainthood itself](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint#Roman_Catholicism) says on the topic; [QUOTE=Wikipedia] In Orthodox and Catholic teachings, all Christians in heaven are considered to be saints… The Catholic Church teaches that it does not make or create saints, but rather, recognizes them. In the Church, the title of Saint refers to a person who has been formally canonized (officially recognized) by the Catholic Church, and is therefore believed to be in Heaven. By this definition, there are many people that the church believes to be in Heaven who have not been formally declared saints but who are otherwise referred to as saints, since they are believed to be completely perfect in holiness. [/QUOTE] ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2013, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pope-canonizes-saint-anonymous-799-times-in-one-day/660809/15 "2013-06-13T16:48:38Z")
> [@Smapti](#): > > Here’s what [the article on sainthood itself](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint#Roman_Catholicism) says on the topic; I read that article before, but what is being talked about in this case is the process of actual canonization, which usually isn’t done with large groups like this. ---
**Author:** ![smiling\_bandit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9a140/32.png) [@smiling\_bandit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/smiling_bandit)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2013, 5:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pope-canonizes-saint-anonymous-799-times-in-one-day/660809/16 "2013-06-13T17:34:07Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > I read that article before, but what is being talked about in this case is the process of actual canonization, which usually isn’t done with large groups like this. Not usually, but it does happen. ---
**Author:** ![Freddy\_the\_Pig](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/a587f6/32.png) [@Freddy\_the\_Pig](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freddy_the_Pig)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2013, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pope-canonizes-saint-anonymous-799-times-in-one-day/660809/17 "2013-06-13T18:01:07Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > But what if only 20 or thirty of those anonymous were actually responsible for any miracles that happened in their name? I personally prayed to Anonymous Ottoman Victim #593, and my plantar fasciitis improved. I don’t know though, it will take me a while to try all 800. I might not have that many ailments in my life.