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Pope canonizes five new Spanish saints
Madrid, May 04: A sea of humanity in the shape of a cross gathered around Pope John Paul II today as he proclaimed five new Spanish saints.
Madrid, May 04: A sea of humanity in the shape of a cross gathered around Pope John Paul II today as he proclaimed five new Spanish saints.
An estimated one million people spread out along four
boulevards intersecting at plaza de colon, where a huge altar was erected for the canonization mass.
The ceremony honoured two priests and three nuns, all 20th century figures commemorated for their work with the poor. "We inscribe them in the book of the saints, and establish that in all the church they be devoutly honoured among the saints," the Pope said. Giant pictures of the five hung from an office building overlooking the plaza.
The canonization was the centerpiece of ailing John Paul's visit, his fifth to Spain and first outside Italy in nine months. One of the priests, Pedro Poveda, was assassinated in 1936 during the opening days of the Spanish civil war.
The church claims 4,184 clergy were killed during the war by the government, or Republican, side, which accused the church of backing Fascist Gen Francisco Franco.
The other four new saints are Angela De La Cruz, who founded the sisters of the company of the cross; Genoveva Torres, who founded the sisters of the sacred heart and of the holy angels; Maravil Las de Jesus, who founded convents for the order of barefoot Carmelites, and Jose Maria Rubio, a Jesuit priest. Today's service raised the number of Saints John Paul has proclaimed in his nearly 25-year papacy to 469. He has proclaimed more saints than any other pontiff, stressing the need for role models for today's Catholics.
Bureau Report
The ceremony honoured two priests and three nuns, all 20th century figures commemorated for their work with the poor. "We inscribe them in the book of the saints, and establish that in all the church they be devoutly honoured among the saints," the Pope said. Giant pictures of the five hung from an office building overlooking the plaza.
The canonization was the centerpiece of ailing John Paul's visit, his fifth to Spain and first outside Italy in nine months. One of the priests, Pedro Poveda, was assassinated in 1936 during the opening days of the Spanish civil war.
The church claims 4,184 clergy were killed during the war by the government, or Republican, side, which accused the church of backing Fascist Gen Francisco Franco.
The other four new saints are Angela De La Cruz, who founded the sisters of the company of the cross; Genoveva Torres, who founded the sisters of the sacred heart and of the holy angels; Maravil Las de Jesus, who founded convents for the order of barefoot Carmelites, and Jose Maria Rubio, a Jesuit priest. Today's service raised the number of Saints John Paul has proclaimed in his nearly 25-year papacy to 469. He has proclaimed more saints than any other pontiff, stressing the need for role models for today's Catholics.
Bureau Report