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| Saint Peter's Square |
Pope
Francis named two previous popes as saints in a ceremony at St. Peter’s Square
on Sunday, April 27. Popes John XXIII
and John Paul II were canonized by Pope Francis for what he said was their
attempts to renew and strengthen the Catholic Church. This was the first time that two popes were
made saints at the same time.
A
crowd of 800,000 stood in St. Peter’s Square to watch the ceremony while
another 500,000 watched on giant screens set up around Rome. Many of these people had traveled from other countries
to watch Pope Francis perform the ceremony.
Thousands were from Poland, the homeland of John Paul II. At least 100 delegations from other countries
were in attendance at the event including a Jewish delegation. At least 150 Cardinals, 6,000 Priests and 1,000
Bishops attended the ceremony as well as the former Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI. This was also the first time two living popes
were in attendance at a canonization ceremony.
John
Paul II was one of the most influential leaders of the last century. He helped to bring an end to communism in
Europe and was known as the “Pope of the family.” The usual five year wait after a pope’s death
to be declared a saint was waived when crowds asked for his sainthood at his
funeral. John XXIII brought reform to
the Catholic Church. His reform changed
the Catholic Church to what it is today by allowing Mass to be in other
languages besides Latin and convening the Second Vatican Council, bringing the
Catholic Church into the modern world.
The Catholic Church’s relations with Protestants and Jews also improved
while John XXIII was Pope.
During
the ceremony, Pope Francis spoke about both popes and their efforts to help the
church. This ceremony was seen by some
as an attempt by Pope Francis to unite both reformers and conservatives in the
Catholic Church.
