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CANONIZATIONS OF BLESSED JOHN PAUL II
AND BLESSED JOHN XXIII
Pope John XXIII and Pope John Paul II were
canonized Sunday, April 27, by Pope Francis in an unprecedented
ceremony witnessed by huge crowds gathered in St. Peter's Square in
Vatican City.
Millions more around the world watched
as two former pontiffs were for the first time installed as saints
in a dual canonization.
The faithful and the curious packed the streets of Rome around the
Vatican before dawn, hoping to gain entry to St. Peter's Square and
catch a direct glimpse of church history in the making.
Vatican Radio put the crowds at some 800,000
in the St. Peter's area, including the square and the roads and
gardens around it. Another 500,000 followed the proceedings on giant
screens set up around Rome.
In another first on a historic day, two
living popes were present for the ceremony.
Pope Emeritus
Benedict XVI, who resigned from
the papacy a year ago citing health reasons, was not at the altar
but was greeted warmly by Francis both before and after the event.
Many of those gathered in the square for the
solemn open-air ceremony carried flags and banners. The red and
white Polish flag was prominent among them, a reflection of the
affection felt for John Paul II in his homeland, Poland. Another
read simply, "Thank you."
With the canonization, a holy relic
for each of the popes was formally presented to the altar before the
crowds. Giant banners showing the faces of the two late popes hung
on the facade of St. Peter's Basilica.
In his homily, Francis described the pair as
"men of courage" who bore witness to God's mercy.
"They were priests, bishops and popes
of the 20th century," he said. "They lived through the tragic events
of that century, but they were not overwhelmed by them. For them,
God was more powerful, faith was more powerful."
He paid tribute to the efforts of John XXIII and John Paul II to
renew and strengthen the church.
The landmark Second Vatican Council called by John XXIII was of
great service to the church, he said. That council helped to bring
the church to the people, for example by allowing languages other
than Latin to be used for Mass.
John Paul II, who served for nearly 27 years, is seen as the "pope
of the family" and wanted to be remembered that way, Francis added.
After greeting visiting dignitaries, Pope Francis climbed into the
Popemobile, a chance for him to get closer to some of the many
faithful who have flocked to Rome.
The joyful crowds waved and screamed as he passed through their
midst in the open-sided vehicle, with Francis waving and smiling
back.
Applause greets
Pope Emeritus
Benedict XVI.
Vatican spokesman the Rev. Federico
Lombardi said beforehand that as many as 150 cardinals and 1,000
bishops would attend the canonization ceremony, as well as some
6,000 priests.
Benedict, looking frail in his white
robes, was greeted with applause as he took his place among the
bishops and cardinals.
Delegations from more than 100 countries
around the world were expected to be present, the Vatican said,
including at least 24 heads of state. A large Jewish delegation was
also to attend, reflecting the efforts of both popes to reach out to
the Jewish faith.
Sunday evening also marks the
beginning of Holocaust Remembrance Day.
The two popes
canonized are:
John XXIII (1881-1963),
known as Angelo Giuseppe Roncalli before he became pope -- was one
of 13 children born into a family of Italian peasants, farmers from
a tiny village in the country's north. He was sent away to study for
the priesthood at age 11.
John Paul II (1920-2005),
born Karol Jozef Wojtyla, was brought up in a grimy industrial town
in Poland and raised by his soldier father after his mother died
when he was just 8 years old. He spent his formative years living
under first Nazis, then Communists.
His beatification is the quickest in modern times, made possible
because Benedict -- who succeeded John Paul in 2005 -- waived the
normal five-year waiting period after death to get someone's
beatification rolling.
Vatican observers see the decision to canonize both popes together
as a masterstroke designed to invite unity within the Roman Catholic
Church, since it brings together a conservative and a reformer.
The day chosen for the ceremony, the first Sunday after Easter, is
significant because in the church calendar it is Divine Mercy
Sunday. Mercy was a theme important to both popes -- and to Francis.
After the Mass, the Basilica of St. Peter will be open into the
evening to allow pilgrims the opportunity to visit the tombs of the
two new saints, Vatican Radio said.
John Paul II's relic, a vial containing his blood, is the same one
used for his beatification ceremony in 2011. John XXIII's relic is a
piece of skin removed from his body when it was exhumed -- in order
to move his body from the crypt under St Peter's Basilica to the
main Basilica -- for his 2000 beatification ceremony.
After the Eucharistic service, their names were included for the
first time in the chanting of the litany of the saints.
The huge crowds present in Rome reflect the fact that both men were
popular in life and known for their efforts to reach out to ordinary
people, a path which Francis also seems determined to follow.
The event is the biggest in Vatican City since the election of Pope
Francis last year.
The Vatican's
official website said civil
security forces were prepared and the subway system would run
nonstop through the weekend to accommodate the influx of pilgrims
for the ceremony.
http://www.cnn.com/2014/04/27/world/pope-canonization/