Pope Benedict XVI is to tighten up on the rules for beatification and sainthood by issuing instructions to local dioceses to use greater "caution and rigour" when opening new sainthood causes.

Cardinal Jose Saraiva Martins, head of the Congregation for Saints' Causes, said the instructions were needed to reflect the "new spirit introduced by Pope Benedict XVI in beatification procedures." He made his comments in an interview with L'Osservatore Romano, the Vatican newspaper, under the headline: "More precision will be asked in diocesan canonization processes."

Cardinal Saraiva Martins said the beatification of a member of a local church community was rightly an "intense moment of faith and joy". He added: "But precisely because of the fervour implied by such events, it is necessary to proceed with even greater caution and more accuracy". The new instructions will be sent to diocesan bishops and to postulators who promote sainthood causes.

The late John Paul II created more saints than his predecessors put together, believing that the world has more need than ever of saintly models to follow. This led even some senior Vatican officials privately to suggest he was running a "saint factory."

Pope Benedict continues to carry out canonisations but has handed beatification ceremonies to Cardinal Saraiva Martins instead of presiding over them himself, as John Paul II did. Beatification, which confers the title Blessed, is the penultimate step before sainthood.

Cardinal Saraiva Martins dismissed the term "saint factory" as "not worthy of a response." He said the church does not "make saints", it only "follows procedures" designed to ensure that saints are recognized as such, he said.