Pope Francis Declares Popes John XXIII and John Paul II Saints in Historic Mass

What's This?

By Lorenzo Franceschi-Bicchierai2014-04-27 15:46:45 UTC

Pope Francis declared two of his predecessors, Popes John XXIII and John Paul II, saints in a historic mass on Sunday.

The current pope presided over a mass in front of 500,000 people who gathered in St. Peter's Square and surrounding streets at the Vatican, including the recently retired Pope Benedict XVI, according to the Associated Press. This is the first time a reigning pope and a retired one celebrated mass together, and the first time two popes were canonized at the same time.

"We declare and define that Blessed John XXIII and John Paul II be saints, and we enroll them among the saints, decreeing that they are to be venerated as such by the whole church," Francis said during the ceremony, according to the AP.

Francis decided to make John XXIII and John Paul II — two of the most popular popes in history — saints during the same mass as a show of unity, underscoring the importance of the Catholic Church's conservative and progressive wings, respectively.

"John XXIII and John Paul II cooperated with the Holy Spirit in renewing and updating the church in keeping with her pristine features, those features, which the saints have given her throughout the centuries," Francis said, according to the AP. "They were priests, bishops and popes of the 20th century."

"They lived through the tragic events of that century, but they were not overwhelmed by them."

We're included a gallery of photos of the historic day in Rome, below: