Pope Sets Dates for First Canonizations of Papacy

The wait is over. Catholics were in for a surprise as Pope Leo IV announced his first set of canonization dates that will take place in September and October. They will be his first as the Holy Father of the Catholic Church.

During a public meeting with cardinals in Rome on June 13th, Pope Leo IV announced the canonization date for Carlo Acutis and Pier Giogio Frassatti. It is set for Sunday, September 7th, for both young men to be elevated to the altar of sainthood. He has also set a date for the seven blessed men and women who will be elevated to the altar on October 19th.

Carlo Acutis, known for archiving the Eucharistic miracles around the world with a website, headlines the first of many holy men and women to be canonized under Pope Leo XIV. Originally planned during the Easter season, it was postponed due to the passing of Pope Francis.

Pier Frassati, known as the man of the beatitudes, will share a canonization day with Acutis. Frassati’s canonization comes just 100 years after his death. He was an advocate of the poor and often would take friends out to the mountains and engage in sports while cultivating the gospel with them.

In addition to the canonization of Frassatti and Acutis, there will be seven more saints to be canonized. Three religious and four laity.

Peter To Rot will be the first saint from New Guinea. He was martyred by the Japanese during their occupation of his country. To Rot was murdered by the Japanese as he continued his apostolate efforts despite a ban enforced by the Empire of Japan during World War II.

Another one of the seven to be canonized in October is Bartolo Longo, the apostle of the Rosary. Founder of the famous Marian Shrine at Pompeii, Longo was a satanist priest who was transformed through the power of the rosary. Upon his return to the church, he vowed to promote it along with devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary. He would become a lay Dominican.

Catholics are eager to see nine new saints in the church. There is no doubt that more will come under Pope Leo XIV. Let’s continue to pray for more holy men and women to become saints.