Pope Leo XIV Canonizes Seven New Saints

Pope Leo XIV on Oct. 19 canonized seven new saints in St. Peter’s Square during a Mass that coincided with World Mission Sunday, marking his second canonization since becoming the first American pontiff. The new saints include Venezuela’s first saints—Dr. José Gregorio Hernández and Sr. María del Carmen Rendiles Martínez; Papua New Guinea’s first saint, lay catechist St. Peter To Rot; Armenian Archbishop St. Ignatius Maloyan; three nuns noted for serving the poor and sick; and St. Bartolo Longo, a 19th‑century Italian convert and promoter of the rosary. Cardinal Marcello Semeraro read biographies before the pope pronounced the canonization formula, and Pope Leo described the new saints as “witnesses” who kept “the lamp of faith burning.” The outdoor ceremony, held under bright sun with giant portraits and national flags, drew an estimated 55,000–70,000 people. Observers noted the elevation of martyrs among the new saints continues the Church’s long tradition of sanctifying those who died for the faith, a continuity echoed in memories of early martyrs such as St. Ignatius of Antioch.