John XV
John · 985 – 996
Conducted the first formal papal canonization in history, declaring Ulrich of Augsburg a saint in 993.
John was a Roman who became pope in 985. He governed under the shadow of the Crescentii family, who controlled Roman politics. Despite this, he made history by performing the first well-documented formal canonization when he declared Ulrich of Augsburg a saint at a synod in 993. Before this, saints were recognized by local acclamation rather than papal decree. John was unpopular with the Roman clergy for his nepotism and died of fever in 996 just before Emperor Otto III arrived in Rome to settle affairs.
The First Canonization
Before John XV, saints were made by popular acclaim. A holy person died, people venerated them, and eventually the local bishop agreed. John changed that by formally declaring Ulrich of Augsburg a saint through a papal decree in 993. It was the beginning of the canonization process that the Church still uses today, refined over a thousand years.