formal request for sainthood returns to the agenda

A request from almost a decade ago has resurfaced behind the scenes of the Catholic Church. The attempt to make Princess Elizabeth a saint is nothing new, but for now, it is nothing more than whispers. To become a public statement, it is believed that there is still a long way to go. Firstly, the Brazilian princess would be beatified. Soon after, she would become a saint. The formal request for sainthood has been circulating in the Archdiocese of Rio de Janeiro since 2011.

Princess Isabel was ultra-Catholic, and recognized, during her lifetime, as a woman of many virtues. Her greatest role was as a supposed “redeemer”, after promulgating the law for the abolition of slaves. Likewise, Isabel would still inherit the Brazilian throne if the Republic had not been proclaimed in 1889.

In any case, the request to make Princess Isabel a saint came from journalist Hermes Rodrigues Nery, a conservative Catholic and coordinator of the Legislation for Life Movement. The request is supported by several monarchists in Brazil. Nery has not yet given interviews on the subject, and officially, the Archdiocese of Rio avoids taking a position. Furthermore, the institution, through its consultancy, states that the possibility has a “beginning of conversations” to result in beatification, but no prediction of how quickly the progress will take place.

In an attempt to return to Princess Isabel Santa

According to reports, there is a certain discomfort about the topic. After all, a large portion of the contemporary black movement questions the role of the princess in abolition. In this sense, the narrative would take the spotlight away from the struggles of enslaved and ex-enslaved black people themselves in gaining their freedom. Likewise, there is still concern about the growth of monarchist discourses in Brazil, due to the ideological polarization that divides the country. The election of Jair Bolsonaro itself encouraged the request to move forward.

On the other hand, this delay in the process is not a political issue, but a bureaucratic one. There is a natural queue at the Cause of Saints office, which is linked to the Archdiocese. According to Father José Cláudio Loureiro, there are few people working and many processes in progress. Research work on the order began in 2019, but was interrupted due to the pandemic. And only now, with the easing of health rules, has the process resumed.

The research work is the first step towards making Princess Isabel a saint, as is customary in a process of recognizing sainthood. Normally, this happens through the diocese where the candidate died, but the princess spent her last years in exile in France, and died there, on November 14, 1921. Thus, the Archdiocese requested a transfer of jurisdiction.

Documentation of Princess Isabel

First of all, it is important that the candidate’s biographical dossier points to his or her virtues. Therefore, researchers need to compile their own writings, as well as all types of documentation about them. If there are people alive who lived with the princess, for example, they should also be interviewed. Once this phase is over, the responsible bishop must approve or not the continuation. Finally, the process goes to the Vatican, which even analyzes possible miracles, declaring her blessed and then a saint.

On the other hand, Princess Isabel’s case also involves common politics in addition to faith. A possible re-election of President Bolsonaro would make the cause remain firm, as his conservative base would maintain the pressure. If the left wins, however, it is believed that the bibliographical research would be archived. Be that as it may, by then, a lot of work has already taken place. More than 80,000 documents about the princess’s life were analyzed by a commission, and the contents should become a huge dossier.

Veneration of the princess

While still alive, Princess Isabel received the title of “Saint Isabel Brasileira”, in a political speech at the Church of Nossa Senhora do Rosário de São Benedito dos Homens Pretos, to celebrate abolition. At the time, the church was a stronghold of the black abolitionist movement. Likewise, she was considered by many Catholics to be a saint. Those who lived with her said that she was a very good person, and Isabel did not invest in this as a matter of “personal marketing”.

On the other hand, the princess also had an authoritarian personality. This also happened with her faith: as she was ultra-Catholic, she was committed to the belief that only the Catholic Church would save all men. Researcher Paulo Rezzutti also attests that there are historical records that the veneration of Isabel’s image began when she was still alive, and lasted for many years among black people. Today, this cult still exists, but among other circles, such as Catholics in the Brazilian monarchist movement.

Virtues of Isabel

Paulo Rezzutti reflects on the fact that there are 3 points used to justify the princess’s beatification process. The first is her “proof of virtue to a heroic degree”, that is, her defense in rushing and passing the Golden Law. Likewise, she also received worship for years from the black movement linked to the Catholic religion. She was seen as a saint for having freed them. The third point is the report of possible miracles, people who would say they were cured by Isabel, in a way that is inexplicable in terms of medicine.

All these points receive analysis from Vatican experts. The political weight of the Brazilian imperial family and the leadership of Catholicism at the time also came into vogue. Princess Isabel had a close connection with the Catholic Church, the Marian cause and the Church’s social doctrine. Isabel made important requests to the Church several times, demonstrating that Brazil was devoted to the Marian cause.

In any case, according to Father Nascimento, an expert from the Cause of Saints office, the request to make Princess Isabel a saint only makes sense because of the signs of popular devotion. “The Church does not manufacture saints”, he comments. “What makes saints is the individual’s own holiness. And those who recognize the holiness of a person are the people. It is the people who create this devotion and the reputation of holiness spreads.”