There are two different uses for the term Blessed: In the cases of those holy people whose causes for canonization are in process, the term Blessed is a mark of respect for those who have had a miracle attributed to their intercession and are at the last stage before canonization. In the case of the Virgin Mary, use of the term Blessed is a fulfillment of Mary’s prophecy that “all generations will call me [Mary] blessed” (Luke 1:48). Although Christ’s Mother has not been officially canonized because the canonization process was developed centuries later, she is indeed considered to be a saint.
