Pope Francis has established a new assembly of saints, canonizing 14 individuals, including the “martyrs of Damascus,” who were killed in Syria during the Ottoman Empire and serve as symbols of Christian persecution.
Francis led the canonization ceremony in Saint Peter’s Square amidst thousands of Catholic faithful from across the globe.
“We incorporate them among the saints, declaring that they are to be honored as such by the entire Church,” he declared after naming each one.
Canonization is the final phase towards sainthood in the Catholic Church, following beatification.
Included in this group are 11 individuals recognized as the “martyrs of Damascus,” who have now been declared saints approximately 160 years after their death.
In May, Pope Francis shared his intention to also canonize Italian teenager Carlos Acutis.
The eight Franciscan friars and three lay Maronites, all siblings from a monastery, were killed by Druze militants in July 1860 in the Syrian capital, which was then under Ottoman control.
Pope Pius XI beatified them in 1926.
Damascus is home to one of the most ancient Christian communities in the world, yet its Christian population has dwindled to around 2% today, according to the Vatican.
Many residents, both Christian and non-Christian, have departed the city since the onset of Syria’s civil war in 2011.
The martyrdom of the group from Damascus canonized “is not very different from the plight of many Christians in the Middle East today,” stated Vatican News, the official news portal of the Vatican.
The other three individuals, who passed away in the early 20th century, were founders of religious communities.
They include Italian missionary Giuseppe Allamano, Italian nun Elena Guerra, and Canadian Marie-Leonie Paradis.
In May, Pope Francis announced his plan to canonize Italian teenager Carlos Acutis.
The London-born youth devoted his life to sharing his faith online, earning the title “God’s Influencer,” before succumbing to leukemia in 2006.
The date for his canonization has yet to be determined, but it could occur in 2025, the Church’s Jubilee year, when over 30 million pilgrims are anticipated to gather in Rome.
