Pope Francis Canonizes 14 New Saints

In a solemn ceremony on October 20th, Pope Francis canonized 14 new saints during a Mass held in Rome amid the 2024 Synod on Synodality. This marks the 23rd canonization ceremony of his pontificate, bringing the total number of saints proclaimed by him to 926. The newly canonized include eight Franciscan friars and three lay Maronites, venerated as the “martyrs of Damascus,” who were martyred in Syria in 1860 for their unwavering Christian faith.