Which popes are saints

In the last 1, years, just seven popes have been made saints, including the two being canonized on Sunday. It will be the first time in the 2,year history of the church that two popes will be declared saints at one time. John Paul himself had shortened the waiting period to five years from the traditional To put that in perspective, since , when the Catholic Church created an office called the Congregation for the Causes of Saints, the average time between the death of an eventual saint and canonization is years.

Non-papal saints outnumber canonized pontiffs, of course. In , St. And in , Pope Gregory IX asserted that only a pope had the authority to declare someone a saint. A version of that canonization process is still in place. Recent popes are known for canonizing in large numbers: John Paul II canonized saints — more than the or so canonizations in the previous years.

Wrapping up decades of change, conflict, Francis saints two popes Apr 27, Join the Conversation Send your thoughts and reactions to Letters to the Editor. Enter your email address to receive free newsletters from NCR. Email address. Everything you need to know about popes and saints.

New survey raises concerns about increasingly conservative clergy Nov 12, Classroom questions and answers on God and life's fairness Nov 12, He signed the Lateran Treaty , by which the Vatican City was recognized as an independent state.

His encyclicals condemned Nazism and Communism. Genoa named Giacomo della Chiesa; successor of Pius X. He was made archbishop of Bologna in and cardinal in , two months before his election as pope. His policy in World War I was one of the strictest neutrality, and he had the respect of all belligerents. Ordained in , he became bishop of Mantua , a cardinal , and patriarch of Venice Ordained in , he earned an excellent reputation as archbishop of Perugia —77 , and was created cardinal in Leo's election brought a turn in the course of the papacy.

Pius IX : Topic Pope He refused to recognize the incorporation of Rome He decreed the dogma of the Immaculate Conception and convened the Vatican Council, which laid down the doctrine of papal infallibility.

Analysts say Francis is trying to balance the conservative legacy of John Paul with the reforming zeal of John. Relics of each man - a container of blood from John Paul and a piece of skin from John - were placed near the altar. Pope Francis paid tribute to the two new saints as "priests, bishops and popes of the 20th Century". For them, God was more powerful," he said. The Vatican estimated some , pilgrims had poured into Rome to see the two-hour ceremony first-hand.

For those unable to make it into St Peter's Square, giant screens were set up in nearby streets and elsewhere in the city. The Vatican confirmed on Saturday that year-old Benedict XVI - now officially titled Pope Emeritus - would make a rare public appearance alongside his successor.