Pope Francis has created a new category for beatification, the level immediately below sainthood, in the Catholic Church: those who give their lives for others. This is called “oblatio vitae,” the “offer of life” for the well-being of another person.
Martyrs, a special category of saint, also offer up their lives, but they do so for their “Christian faith.” And so, the pope's decision raises the question: Is the Catholic understanding of sainthood changing?
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