Pope names 14 new saints, including martyrs of Damascus: Video
Pope Francis canonised 14 new saints on Sunday, October 20, including the "martyrs of Damascus," who were killed in Syria during the Ottoman Empire and have become symbols of Christian persecution.
The ceremony took place in Saint Peter's Square, attended by thousands of Catholic faithful from around the world.
"We enrol them among the saints, decreeing that they are to be venerated as such by the whole Church," proclaimed Francis, as he recited the names of the newly canonised.
This canonisation marks the final step in the process of sainthood in the Catholic Church, which requires that individuals have performed at least two miracles, be deceased for a minimum of five years, and lead an exemplary Christian life.
Among the canonised were 11 individuals known as the "martyrs of Damascus," who were assassinated by Druze militants in July 1860 at a monastery in the Syrian capital, AFP reports. This group consists of eight Franciscan friars and three lay Maronites, who have been recognised as saints more than 160 years after their deaths. They were beatified by Pope Pius XI in 1926.
The remaining three canonized individuals, who lived in the early 20th century, were also recognized for founding religious communities. They include Italian missionary Giuseppe Allamano, Italian nun Elena Guerra, and Canadian Marie-Leonie Paradis.
