Beatification is a locally restricted permission to venerate an individual who has died, allowing some measure of veneration of the Blessed by the faithful, in his or her diocese, by a religious order, by a nation. In modern practice, beatification differs from canonization in that the latter implies a universal precept to venerate, while beatification implies a local permission.
Since the canon law reform of 1983, one miracle must be proven to have taken place through the intercession of the person to be beatified, with an exception for martyrs. Pope John Paul II (18 May 1920 – 2 April 2005), made significant changes to Catholic practice regarding beatification. By October 2004, he beatified 1,340 people.
