The Seven Lamps of Sanctification: Catechesis on the Virtues of the Christian Life is a collection of addresses given by Pope Blessed John Paul I at the weekly general audiences from 13 September 1978 until his death on 28 September 1978. Pope Saint John Paul II resumed the series on 25 October 1978 and brought it to its natural conclusion on 22 November 1978. In this series of catechesis, Pope Blessed John Paul I expounds on what Pope Saint John XXIII referred to as "the seven lamps of sanctification" These lamps comprise the three theological virtues of faith , hope , and charity , and the four cardinal virtues of prudence , justice , fortitude , and temperance . These seven virtues serve as the foundation and energizing force of a Christian's moral activity and form the pillars of a virtuous life. Blessed John Paul I and Saint John Paul II's catechesis on the theological and cardinal virtues are an essential resource for anyone seeking to cultivate a life of virtue and holiness. "The goal of a virtuous life is to become like God" (Saint Gregory of Nyssa, De beatitudinibus , oratio 1).