Vatican City: In a solemn celebration at St. Peter’s Square on Sunday, Pope Leo XIV elevated seven men and women to sainthood, calling on Christians worldwide to nurture the light of faith in Christ even amid life’s challenges. The canonization coincided with World Mission Sunday, highlighting the Church’s call to bear witness to God’s love across the globe.
The newly canonized Saints are Ignatius Choukrallah Maloyan, Peter To Rot, Vincenza Maria Poloni, Maria del Monte Carmelo Rendiles Martínez, Maria Troncatti, José Gregorio Hernández Cisneros, and Bartolo Longo. Each, the Pope noted, exemplified steadfast faith and became a living beacon of Christ’s light for others.
In his homily, Pope Leo XIV reflected on Jesus’ poignant question: whether the Son of Man would find faith on earth upon His return. The Pope emphasized that faith is the essential bond of love between God and humanity, a bond that these Saints maintained with remarkable fidelity.
“Today, we honor seven witnesses who, by God’s grace, kept the lamp of faith burning,” the Pope said. “They became lamps themselves, illuminating the world with Christ’s light.” He acknowledged the value of material, cultural, scientific, and artistic achievements, but reminded the faithful that such treasures lose their true meaning without faith. A world devoid of faith, he cautioned, would be like children without a Father, lacking hope and purpose.
Prayer, the Pope explained, is the lifeline of faith. “Just as breathing sustains the body, prayer sustains the soul,” he said, stressing that authentic prayer grows from and strengthens faith. He also addressed common obstacles in prayer: the despair caused by the presence of evil and the temptation to treat God as a servant to fulfill our demands. Both, he said, are countered by Christ’s example on the Cross, praying that God’s will be done.
“When we witness suffering, doubt may creep in but let us transform doubt into prayer, recognizing God’s presence wherever pain exists,” Pope Leo said. “In every tear, every cry, Christ is already there, sharing in our suffering.”
The Pope concluded by urging Christians to embrace faith in every dimension of life. Faith, he said, fuels the pursuit of justice, the desire to act in love, and the hope of salvation. He prayed that the intercession of the seven new Saints would strengthen believers in their own journey toward holiness.
“Faith on earth,” Pope Leo XIV affirmed, “sustains the hope for heaven.”