22-04-2025
From Mother Teresa to the Martyrs of Otranto: People canonised by Pope Francis
The Pope can make decrees to honour Catholics to honour them in their death as saints. This act of publicly revering the person after death and entering their name in the canon catalogue is called canonisation.
Pope Francis has canonised 911 saints in 68 causes, which includes the 813 Martyrs of Otranto as a group.
Who are the Martyrs of Otranto?
On May 12, 2013, Pope Francis announced the canonisation of Antonio Primaldo and his companions, better known as the 'Martyrs of Otranto' , who gained the term 'martyr' as they died at the hands of the Turkish invaders in 1480 for refusing to convert to Islam.
A fleet of Ottoman Empire reached Otranto on June 28, 1480. The Italian coastal town, then under the king of Naples, had a little more than 800 inhabitants. With the commander fleeing, the inhabitants were left to defend themselves. They took shelter in the castle, which was eventually breached on August 12. It is said that the Turks urged the residents to convert to Islam, and since none agreed, they were all executed at the Colle della Minerva, now known as Martyrs' Hills.
The names of the martyrs are unknown, except Antonio Primaldo, who is believed to be the first one to be beheaded.
Though beatified by Clement XIV in 1771, it was Benedict XVI who officially proclaimed them martyrs for the faith.
Who are some prominent Indians canonised by Pope Francis?
Mother Teresa was canonised as a saint on September 4, 2021, by Pope Francis, 19 years after her death . She was committed to serving the poor and sick on the streets of Kolkata and did so for 45 years. 'Pope Francis today approved Mother Teresa's elevation to sainthood and set September 4 as the date for her canonisation,' said a message from the Vatican to the Mother's House, the headquarters of the Missionaries of Charity in Kolkata.
Devasahayam Pillai was the first Indian layman to be declared a saint by Pope Francis. He embraced Christianity in the 18th century and received his canonisation by the Pope on May 15 during an impressive canonisation ceremony at the Vatican. Devasahayam was recommended for the process of Beatification by the Vatican in 2004, at the request of the Kottar diocese, Tamil Nadu Bishops' Council and the Conference of Catholic Bishops of India.
Can the Pope strip anyone of sainthood?
Canonisation or ascribing sainthood is considered, or an unerring and perfect act, only when the pope himself proclaims a person a saint . Once declared a saint, the person remains one permanently; they cannot be 'de-canonised'. However, there are instances where the Church has re-evaluated past beatifications (ceremony recognising a deceased person as worthy of limited public veneration) or questioned historical figures' reputations. Some of them are:
Saint Junípero Serra – Although there was much criticism towards this, Pope Francis canonised Junípero Serra in 2015. Much of the criticism was regarding his role in the mistreatment of Indigenous peoples in California.
Pope Pius XII - Pope Pius XII's actions during WWII, particularly concerning the Holocaust, were a cause of concern. Pope Francis ordered the unsealing of it in the Vatican archives to re-evaluate his beatification.
Beatification of Archbishop Óscar Romero - Óscar Romero, a Salvadoran archbishop, was assassinated in 1980. The cause for his beatification being blocked multiple times in the past under previous popes was due to claims of leftist political ties. Pope Francis changed that by canonising him a saint in 2018.
Father Giuseppe Beotti - Pope Francis halted the beatification of Father Giuseppe Beotti, an Italian priest executed by Nazis, in 2023 over doubts regarding his documentation.
