Crowds of around a million gather in Rome to witness historic canonisation in St Peter's Square
Pope Francis has proclaimed two of his predecessors, Popes John XXIII and John
Paul II, as saints of the Roman Catholic Church at a ceremony in St Peter's
Square.
The open-air event was watched by up to a million people at the Vatican and on
giant screens positioned around Rome, while millions more watched on
television around the world.
At the beginning of the canonisation ceremony, Pope Francis greeted and
embraced Emeritus Pope Benedict XVI, his predecessor, who has looked
increasingly tired and frail since his resignation last year.
It is the first time in the history of the Catholic Church that two living
Popes have presided over the canonisation of two of their predecessors.
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| A bishop arrives for the canonisation ceremony in St. Peter's Square |
"We declare and define as saints the blessed John XXIII and John Paul II,"
Francis said in a Latin prayer from an altar in front of St Peter’s
Basilica.
He was flanked by foreign dignitaries, various royals and hundreds of
cardinals and bishops.
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