Quando la morte non basta: Prospero Lambertini e la valutazione giudiziaria della morte dei servi di Dio

This essay focuses on how Prospero Lambertini (the future Pope Benedict XIV) addresses the subject of death in his famous treatise De Servorum Dei beatificatione et Beatorum canonizatione. Although there is only one chapter specifically devoted to this topic, it appears in itself important, and above all plays a major role in the section Lambertini devotes to the criterion of canonisation of martyrdom. Since death, and especially death suffered in odium fidei, is an essential prerequisite in the causes for canonisation of martyrs, Lambertini feels that the greatest attention must be paid to the circumstances of their death, as much as and more than with any other candidate for canonisation. However, the most striking aspect of Lambertini’s reasoning lies in the fact that, considering the holy death in general as the completion of a virtuous life, the voluntary acceptance of violent death was for him not in itself sufficient proof to conclusively demonstrate the sanctity of a servant of God.