Pope Francis officially declared 14 individuals as saints on Sunday, including the “martyrs of Damascus,” who were killed in Syria during the time of the Ottoman Empire, standing as symbols of Christian persecution.
The ceremony took place in Saint Peter’s Square, where thousands of Catholics from around the world gathered to witness this sacred event.
“We declare them saints, and they are to be honored as such by the entire Church,” Francis stated after announcing each of their names.
Canonisation marks the final step to sainthood in the Catholic Church, following beatification. To be canonized, three main criteria must be met: the individual must have performed at least two miracles, been deceased for at least five years, and led an exemplary Christian life.
Among those canonized are the “martyrs of Damascus,” who have now been recognized as saints 160 years after their deaths. This group consisted of eight Franciscan friars and three lay Maronite siblings who were killed by Druze militants in July 1860 in Damascus, which was then under Ottoman rule. They were beatified by Pope Pius XI in 1926.
Damascus, one of the world’s oldest Christian communities, has seen its Christian population shrink to just about two percent, according to Vatican sources, due in part to the ongoing conflict in Syria since 2011.
Vatican News emphasized that the sacrifice of the Damascus martyrs mirrors the hardships many Christians in the Middle East continue to face today.
Three others canonized were key figures who established religious communities: Italian missionary Giuseppe Allamano, Italian nun Elena Guerra, and Canadian religious founder Marie-Leonie Paradis.
Earlier this year, Pope Francis announced plans to canonize Carlos Acutis, an Italian teenager known for spreading his faith online. Acutis, nicknamed “God’s Influencer,” passed away from leukemia in 2006 at the age of 15. His canonization is anticipated for 2025, during the Church’s Jubilee year, when millions of pilgrims are expected to visit Rome.
