The person is canonised through a formal papal decree that the candidate is holy and in heaven with God. The Pope makes the declaration during a special mass in honour of the new saint. A formal request for an individual to be considered for sainthood is submitted to a special Vatican tribunal.

What makes a person a saint?

In religious belief, a saint is a person who is recognized as having an exceptional degree of holiness, likeness, or closeness to God. ... Depending on the religion, saints are recognized either by official ecclesiastical declaration, as in the Catholic faith, or by popular acclamation (see folk saint).

Why did she become a saint?

Two separate miracles of healing were credited to Mother Teresa after her death, which made it possible for her to be canonized as Saint Teresa. Mother Teresa spent most of her life trying to serve the sick and poor from her base in Calcutta. ... Yet there was a requirement for sainthood that could not be waived: miracles.