Causes of Saints (Dicastery) [Catholic-Hierarchy]

Bishop(s)

Marcello Semeraro, Cardinal, Prefect
Fabio Fabene, Secretary
Bogusław Stanisław Turek, C.S.M.A., Under Secretary
Melchor Sánchez de Toca y Alameda, Official
Giovanni Angelo Becciu, Cardinal, Prefect Emeritus
José Saraiva Martins, C.M.F., Cardinal, Prefect Emeritus
Marcello Bartolucci, Secretary Emeritus
Edward Nowak, Secretary Emeritus

General Information

Type of Jurisdiction: Dicastery
Elevated: 5 June 2022
Curial Office
Roman Curia
Description: Treats all that pertains to causes of beatification and canonization (Praedicate Evangelium, 98)
Official Web Site: https://www.causesanti.va
Mailing Address: Palazzo delle Congregazioni, 00193 Roma, Piazza Pio XII, 10
Telephone: 06.69.88.42.44
Fax: 06.69.88.19.35

Historical Details

Congregation of (Sacred) Rites
- Latin Name: Sacrorum Rituum
- Established: 22 January 1588
- Curial Office
- Roman Curia
Congregation for the Causes of Saints
- Latin Name: de Causis Sanctorum
- Name Changed: 1969
- Curial Office
- Roman Curia
- Description: deals with everything which, according to the established way, leads to the canonization of the servants of God. (Pastor Bonus, 71)
- Mailing Address: Palazzo delle Congregazioni, 00193 Roma, Piazza Pio XII, 10
- Telephone: 06.69.88.42.44
- Fax: 06.69.88.19.35

Past and Present Ordinaries

Alfonso Gesualdo di Conza (Gonza) † (22 Jan 1588 Appointed - 14 Feb 1603 Died)
Tolomeo Gallio † (14 Feb 1603 Appointed - 3 Feb 1607 Died)
Domenico Pinelli (Sr.) † (3 Feb 1607 Appointed - 9 Aug 1611 Died)
Alderano Cibo (Cybo) † (Aug 1687 Appointed - 22 Jul 1700 Died)
Flavio Chigi (Jr.) † (12 Feb 1759 Appointed - 12 Jul 1771 Died)
Mario Marefoschi Compagnoni † ( 1771 Appointed - 23 Dec 1780 Died)
Giovanni Archinto † (Jan 1781 Appointed - 9 Feb 1799 Died)
Giulio Maria della Somaglia † (30 Oct 1800 Appointed - 20 May 1814 Appointed, Secretary of the Congregation for Universal Inquisition)
Giorgio Doria Pamphilj Landi † (10 Feb 1821 Appointed - 16 Nov 1837 Died)
Carlo Maria Pedicini † (2 Jul 1830 Appointed - 4 Feb 1831 Appointed, Prefect of the Congregation for Propagation of the Faith)
Ludovico Micara, O.F.M. Cap. † (28 Nov 1843 Appointed - 1 May 1844 Appointed, Prefect of the Congregation of Ceremonies)
Luigi Emmanuele Nicolo Lambruschini, B. † (8 Jun 1847 Appointed - 12 May 1854 Died)
Costantino Patrizi Naro † (27 Jun 1854 Appointed - 10 Oct 1860 Appointed, Secretary of the Congregation for Universal Inquisition)
Luigi Maria (Tommaso Francesco) Bilio, B. † (20 Dec 1876 Appointed - 18 Oct 1877 Appointed, Major Penitentiary of the Apostolic Penitentiary)
Tommaso Maria Martinelli, O.E.S.A. † (18 Oct 1877 Appointed - 15 Jul 1878 Appointed, Prefect of the Congregation of the Index)
Domenico Bartolini † (15 Jul 1878 Appointed - 15 Jan 1886 Appointed, Official of the Roman Curia - Other)
Angelo Bianchi † (15 Nov 1887 Appointed - 14 Mar 1889 Appointed, Pro-Datary of the Apostolic Datary)
Carlo Laurenzi † (14 Mar 1889 Appointed - 3 Oct 1889 Resigned)
Gaetano Aloisi Masella † (3 Oct 1889 Appointed - 15 Jun 1897 Resigned)
Camillo Mazzella, S.J. † (15 Jun 1897 Appointed - 26 Mar 1900 Died)
Domenico Ferrata † (23 Oct 1900 Appointed - 26 Oct 1908 Appointed, Prefect of the Congregation of the Sacraments)
Serafino Cretoni † (7 Jan 1903 Appointed - 3 Feb 1909 Died)
Luigi Tripepi † (7 Jan 1903 Appointed - 29 Dec 1906 Died)
Sebastiano Martinelli, O.E.S.A. † (8 Feb 1909 Appointed - 4 Jul 1918 Died)
Scipione Tecchi † (8 Nov 1914 Appointed - 7 Feb 1915 Died)
Antonio Vico † (11 Feb 1915 Appointed - 25 Feb 1929 Died)
Camillo Laurenti † (12 Mar 1929 Appointed - 6 Sep 1938 Died)
Carlo Salotti † (14 Sep 1938 Appointed - 24 Oct 1947 Died)
Clemente Micara † (28 Oct 1947 Appointed - 17 Jan 1953 Resigned)
Gaetano Cicognani † (7 Dec 1953 Appointed - 5 Feb 1962 Died)
Arcadio María Larraona Saralegui, C.M.F. † (12 Feb 1962 Appointed - 9 Jan 1968 Retired)
Benno (Walter) Gut, O.S.B. † (8 Jan 1968 Appointed - 7 May 1969 Appointed, Prefect of the Congregation for Divine Worship)
Paolo Bertoli † (7 May 1969 Appointed - 1 Mar 1973 Resigned)
Luigi Raimondi † (21 Mar 1973 Appointed - 24 Jun 1975 Died)
Corrado Bafile † (18 Jul 1975 Appointed - 27 Jun 1980 Retired)
Pietro Palazzini † (27 Jun 1980 Appointed - 1 Jul 1988 Retired)
Angelo Felici † (1 Jul 1988 Appointed - 13 Jun 1995 Retired)
Alberto Bovone † (13 Jun 1995 Appointed - 17 Apr 1998 Died)
José Saraiva Martins, C.M.F. (30 May 1998 Appointed - 9 Jul 2008 Retired)
Angelo Amato, S.D.B. † (9 Jul 2008 Appointed - 31 Aug 2018 Retired)
Giovanni Angelo Becciu (1 Sep 2018 Appointed - 24 Sep 2020 Resigned)
Marcello Semeraro (15 Oct 2020 Appointed - 21 Apr 2025 Ceased)

Historical Summary

Date	Event	From	To
Congregation of (Sacred) Rites
22 January 1588	Established		Congregation of (Sacred) Rites
28 January 1904	Territory Added	Congregation for Indulgences and Relics (suppressed)	Congregation of (Sacred) Rites
29 June 1908	Established	Congregation of (Sacred) Rites	Congregation of the Discipline of the Sacraments
Congregation for the Causes of Saints
1969	Name Changed	Congregation of (Sacred) Rites	Congregation for the Causes of Saints
Dicastery for the Causes of Saints
5 June 2022	Elevated	Congregation for the Causes of Saints	Dicastery for the Causes of Saints