Vatican declares Popes John Paul II and John XXIII saints

BBC Online :
Huge crowds gathered in Vatican City to see a historic ceremony where two popes – John Paul II and John XXIII – were declared saints.
A Mass co-celebrated by Pope Francis and his predecessor Benedict was watched by roughly one million pilgrims and a vast TV and radio audience.
Nearly 100 foreign delegations are attending, including royal dignitaries and heads of state and government. It is the first time two popes have been canonised at the same time. Correspondents say the move is being seen as an attempt to unite conservative and reformist camps within the Roman Catholic Church.
In all its 2,000 years of history, the Catholic Church has never seen a day quite like this. Two popes being recognised as saints at the same ceremony. And this being presided over by two living Popes – Francis and his retired predecessor, Benedict.
The event has drawn a mass of believers from all across the Catholic world. They have filled St Peter’s Square and the avenue that leads to it. And now that great throng of the faithful awaits the moment when Catholicism’s highest honour is bestowed on John XXlll and the Polish Pope, John Paul ll. In his sermon, Pope Francis paid tribute to the two new saints as “men of courage”.
“They were priests, bishops and popes of the 20th Century,” he said. “They lived through the tragic events of that century, but they were not overwhelmed by them. For them, God was more powerful.”
Special bus, train and boat services ferried many thousands of pilgrims to Rome for the two-hour ceremony, which started at 10:00 local time (08:00 GMT).
Some had bagged places to sleep overnight as close as possible to St Peter’s Square, hoping to be among the first in when it opened to the public.
Giant screens were set up in nearby streets and elsewhere in the city for those unable to get into the square.
“We’ve been counting down the days. This is a once-in-a-lifetime experience,” said one pilgrim from Poland, John Paul II’s home country. “We’re already hoarse from singing,” he told AFP.
The Vatican confirmed on Saturday that 87-year-old Benedict XVI – now officially titled Pope Emeritus – would make a rare public appearance alongside his successor. The process of saint-making is usually long and very costly.
But John Paul II, whose 26-year reign ended in 2005, has been fast-tracked to sainthood in just nine years.
Many among the huge crowds that gathered as he lay dying cried out “santo subito”, which means “sainthood now”. By contrast Italian-born John XXIII, known as the Good Pope after his 1958-63 papacy, had his promotion to full sainthood decided suddenly and very recently by Pope Francis.