Vatican News: Pope Francis Canonizes John Paul II and John XXIII As Millions Watch

Pope Francis has declared Popes John XXIII and John Paul II as saints and oredered them to be "devoutly honored" by the whole of the Catholic Church. In front of hundred of thousands of followers who stood to watch in St. Peter's Square and its surrounds, the Pope officially canonized his two predecessors. "In the name of the most Holy Trinity, for the exaltation of the Catholic Faith and the growth of Christian life, with the authority of our Lord Jesus Christ and the holy apostles Peter and Paul," said Pope Francis.

Pope Francis revealed that "After much reflection, and invoking divine help and listening to our brothers in the Church, we declare John XXIII and John Paul II as saints in our holy Church." He ordered that they be inscribed into the registry of saints and established that the whole Church shall honor them among saints, finishing his speech with "In the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost." Immediately the enormous crowd gathered burst into applause.

Preceding the Pope's speech, Cardinal Angelo Amato, prefect of the Congregation for the Cause of Saints in the Vatican, gave three formal petitions to the Pope to initiate the canonization process. "Most Holy Father, the holy mother Church asks for the strength of your holiness to inscirbe the beatified John XXIII and John Paul II in the Registry of Saints and as such let them be invoked by all Christians," he said, speaking in Latin. Pope Francis then pronounced Angelo Giuseppe Roncalli (John XXIII) and Karol Wojtyla (John Paul II) as saints.