[In Italian]

In the name of the Father, of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit,
Peace be with you!
 

Dear brothers and sisters,

I am pleased to meet you in the wake of the canonization of seven new saints to whom you are, for various reasons, very attached. I greet each one of you, especially the cardinals, bishops, religious superiors and civil authorities present here. The joyful and solemn event we celebrated yesterday reminds us that the communion of the Church involves all the faithful, in space and time, in every language and culture, uniting us as the people of God, the body of Christ and the living temple of the Holy Spirit.

The men and women we proclaimed saints yesterday are for all of us shining signs of hope, because they offered their lives in love for Christ and their brothers and sisters.

[In English]

We all share in the joy of the beloved Armenian people as we look to the holiness of the martyred Bishop Ignatius Maloyan. He was a pastor after Christ’s own heart, and in times of heavy difficulties, he did not abandon his flock, rather he encouraged them in order to strengthen their faith. When he was asked to renounce his faith in exchange for freedom, he did not hesitate to choose his Lord, even to the point of shedding his own blood for God.  This makes me think fondly of the Armenian people, who carve the cross into stones as a sign of their firm and rock-solid faith. May the intercession of the new Saint renew the fervor of believers and bring fruits of reconciliation and peace for all.

We can see the deep faith of the people of Papua New Guinea reflected in Saint Peter To Rot, who offers us an inspiring example of steadfastness and fortitude in preaching the truths of the Gospel when confronted by difficulties and challenges, even threats to our lives.  Although he was an ordinary catechist, he showed extraordinary courage by risking his life to carry out his apostolate in secret, because his pastoral work was prohibited by the occupying forces during the Second World War.  At the same time, when these authorities permitted the practice of polygamy, Saint Peter To Rot firmly defended the sanctity of marriage and even confronted some powerful people.  Let us listen to his words in the face of hostility, “This is a very bad time for us and we are all afraid. But God our Father is with us and looking after us. We must pray and ask him to stay with us always.” Dear brothers and sisters, may the example of Saint Peter To Rot encourage us to defend the truths of the faith, even at the cost of personal sacrifice, and to rely always on God in our trials.

[In Spanish]

Dear brothers and sisters: on 7 October, the bishops of Venezuela published a letter on the joyful occasion of seeing two sons of their beloved land raised to the altars: Saint José Gregorio Hernández and Saint Carmen Rendiles. They asked the Lord that this be a strong incentive for all Venezuelans to come together and recognize themselves as children and brothers and sisters of the same homeland, reflecting on the present and the future in the light of the virtues that these saints lived in a heroic manner.

We might ask ourselves, what are these virtues that should motivate us? Certainly faith. God was present in their lives and transformed them, turning the simple existence of a normal person, like any one of us, into a lamp that illuminated everyone with a new light in their daily lives. Undoubtedly, the virtue of hope is also present: if God is our eternal reward, our work and our struggles cannot end in goals that are not only unworthy and degrading, but also ephemeral. Finally, charity, which is born of welcoming and sharing the gift received; which makes us find the true meaning of life and asks us to build it through service, whether to the sick, the poor, or the little ones.

Now, how can reflection on these virtues help us at the present time? It can do so if, when we look at these two great figures, we see in them above all people very similar to ourselves, who lived confronting problems that are not unfamiliar to us, and which we ourselves can face as they did, following their example. On the other hand, assuming that those who live alongside me — like me, like them — are called to the same holiness, I must therefore see them, above all, as brothers and sisters to be respected and loved, sharing the journey of life, supporting each other in difficulties and building the kingdom of God together with joy.

[In Italian]

We also praise the Lord for Sister Maria Troncatti, a Salesian saint who dedicated her life to serving the indigenous peoples of Ecuador. Combining medical expertise with a passion for Christ, this generous missionary cared for the bodies and hearts of those she assisted with the love and strength she drew from faith and prayer. Her truly tireless work is an example for us of a charity that does not give up in the face of difficulties, but rather transforms them into opportunities for free and total self-giving.

In his providence, God gave the Church Sister Vincenza Maria Poloni, founder of the Sisters of Mercy. Her charism bears witness to Jesus’ compassion towards the sick and the marginalized. Nurturing social commitment with a profound Eucharistic spirituality and with Marian devotion, Saint Vincenza encourages us to persist in daily service to the most fragile: it is precisely there that holiness of life flourishes!

This transformation, which the grace of God works in the heart, finds an example of particular intensity in Bartolo Longo. Converting from a life far from God, he devoted all his energy to works of corporal and spiritual mercy, promoting faith in Christ and affection for Mary through charity towards orphans, the poor, the desperate. Grateful to its founder, may the Shrine of Pompeii preserve and spread the fervour of Saint Bartolo, apostle of the Rosary. I wholeheartedly recommend this prayer to everyone, to priests, religious, families and young people. Contemplating the mysteries of Christ with Mary's gaze, day by day we assimilate the Gospel and learn to practise it.

Dear pilgrims, I hope you return to your homes with hearts full of gratitude and with an ardent desire to imitate the new saints. May their intercession accompany you and their example inspire you. With affection, I impart my apostolic blessing to you all.

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Holy See Press Office Bulletin, 20 October 2025