Pope Leo XIV canonises seven new saints including ex-Satanic priest

VATICAN CITY: Pope Leo XIV has canonised seven new saints during a ceremony in St Peter’s Square.

The canonisations occurred on World Mission Day before a crowd gathered under sunny skies.

Among those elevated to sainthood was Papua New Guinea’s first saint, lay catechist Peter To Rot.

Armenian bishop Ignazio Choukrallah Maloyan, martyred during the 1915 genocide, was also canonised.

Venezuelan “doctor of the poor” Jose Gregorio Hernandez Cisneros became the country’s newest saint.

Three nuns who dedicated their lives to serving the poor and sick were included in the ceremony.

Former Satanic priest Bartolo Longo, who rejoined Catholicism and founded a major shrine, was canonised.

Huge portraits of the seven new saints were unfurled from windows overlooking the square.

Pope Leo, dressed in ceremonial white vestments, presided over his second canonisation ceremony since becoming pope.

Cardinal Marcello Semeraro read profiles of each new saint to applause from the congregation.

The pope then recited the canonisation formula officially declaring them saints.

Canonisation requires proof of at least two miracles and an exemplary Christian life.

Maria Carmen Elena Rendiles Martinez became Venezuela’s first female saint despite being born without a left arm.

Italian nuns Vincenza Maria Poloni and Maria Troncatti were recognised for their humanitarian work.

Troncatti dedicated her life to helping Ecuador’s indigenous population from the 1920s onward.

Last month, Pope Leo canonised Italian teenager Carlo Acutis and charity model Pier Giorgio Frassati. – AFP