<P> On 3 January 993 , Pope John XV became the first pope to proclaim a person a `` saint '' from outside the diocese of Rome : on the petition of the German ruler , he had canonized Bishop Ulrich of Augsburg . Before that time , the popular `` cults '' , or venerations , of saints had been local and spontaneous and were confirmed by the local bishop . Pope John XVIII subsequently permitted a cult of five Polish martyrs . Pope Benedict VIII later declared the Armenian hermit Symeon to be a saint , but it was not until the pontificate of Pope Innocent III that the Popes reserved to themselves the exclusive authority to canonize saints , so that local bishops needed the confirmation of the Pope . Walter of Pontoise was the last person in Western Europe to be canonized by an authority other than the Pope : Hugh de Boves , the Archbishop of Rouen , canonized him in 1153 . Thenceforth a decree of Pope Alexander III in 1170 reserved the prerogative of canonization to the Pope , in so far as the Latin Church was concerned . </P>
<P> On 3 January 993 , Pope John XV became the first pope to proclaim a person a `` saint '' from outside the diocese of Rome : on the petition of the German ruler , he had canonized Bishop Ulrich of Augsburg . Before that time , the popular `` cults '' , or venerations , of saints had been local and spontaneous and were confirmed by the local bishop . Pope John XVIII subsequently permitted a cult of five Polish martyrs . Pope Benedict VIII later declared the Armenian hermit Symeon to be a saint , but it was not until the pontificate of Pope Innocent III that the Popes reserved to themselves the exclusive authority to canonize saints , so that local bishops needed the confirmation of the Pope . Walter of Pontoise was the last person in Western Europe to be canonized by an authority other than the Pope : Hugh de Boves , the Archbishop of Rouen , canonized him in 1153 . Thenceforth a decree of Pope Alexander III in 1170 reserved the prerogative of canonization to the Pope , in so far as the Latin Church was concerned . </P>
when did the catholic church start honoring saints
when did the catholic church start honoring saints
3 January 993
3 January 993