Popes canonised - New saints

Catholicism has two new saints — Pope John XXIII and Pope John Paul II — and, almost uniquely, a great number of people will remember their pontificates.

Pope John XXIII facilitated the reforms proposed at Vatican II and, more than ironically, Pope John Paul II spent considerable energies in delaying that evolution. It is undeniable though that he played a significant role, probably one of the more significant roles, in the collapse of the Soviet Union. That those freedoms were being rolled back as he was being canonised added another layer of irony to what was a great occasion for Catholics around the world. However, in an increasingly secular world the idea — and relevance — of sainthood becomes an ever more open question.