Bells echoed across St. Peter’s Square on Sunday as Pope Leo XIV canonized seven new saints during a historic ceremony at the Vatican.Among those elevated to sainthood were Blessed Peter ToRot, the first saint from Papua New Guinea; Archbishop Ignatius Maloyan,
who was martyred during the Armenian genocide; and Dr. José Gregorio Hernández, a Venezuelan physician fondly remembered as the “doctor of the poor.”Thousands of pilgrims from around the world gathered under the bright Roman sky to witness the solemn celebration, which honored men and women recognized for their extraordinary faith, sacrifice, and service to humanity.In his homily, Pope Leo praised the new saints as “beacons of hope in a troubled world,” urging the faithful to follow their examples of compassion, courage, and devotion.
The canonizations highlight the Church’s growing diversity, reflecting holiness from every corner of the globe — from the Pacific islands to Latin America and the Middle East.The ceremony marks one of the most significant moments of Pope Leo’s pontificate, reaffirming the universal nature of the Catholic faith and its enduring call to holiness.