On Sunday seven new blesseds will be raised to the altars as saints. Among them, we find a former pope, a martyr, two nuns, two priests and a young layman.
Pope Francis will preside over this grand ceremony, which will likely see some 70,000 pilgrims. It will be a special day of celebration, also for the pope.
MSGR. ANGELO BECCIU
Prefect, Congregation for the Causes of Saints
'I think the pope will be very happy. One of the first things he told me at the beginning of his pontificate was that he was waiting and praying to be able to canonize Paul VI.'
Along with Paul VI, Monsignor Óscar Romero will also be canonized. They met in life and maintained a friendship. After a beatification process that faced many difficulties, the bishop of the poor, who was murdered by hatred of the faith, will be proclaimed a saint.
When he was shot in 1980, El Salvador suffered enormous violence and repression that grew even after his murder. They are wounds that are healing slowly and that Romero also could help heal, since “romero” is also the name for “rosemary” in Spanish.
CARD. GREGORIO ROSA CHÁVEZ
Auxiliary Bishop of San Salvador
'The good smell of Christ, his holiness, can heal wounds. Rosemary helps with respiratory diseases and infected wounds. The country has a polluted, moral and ecological atmosphere and also many other wounds that have not yet been closed.'
The canonization will be in Rome, but the bishops of El Salvador have asked the pope to visit the tomb of Archbishop Romero when he travels to Central America for World Youth Day, an idea that he seems to have liked.
