ROME (NBC) — The Vatican has announced that Pope Francis has approved new regulations surrounding the Roman Catholic practice of appointing saints.
These changes apply to how alleged miracles from potential saints can be approved.
Healings must now be examined by a panel of at least six medical experts.
A two-thirds majority is also required to agree that a healing has no scientific or natural explanations.
Prior to these new regulations, only a simple majority was needed to approve healings.
Cardinal Secretary of State Pietro Parolin says cases can not be re-examined more than three times, making canonization a more transparent and difficult process.