Pope Benedict canonises five saints

POPE Benedict XVI canonised five new saints yesterday, including Portugal’s 14th century independence leader and a nearly blind Italian monk who died of the plague after tending to the sick.

Benedict presided over the ceremony in a packed St Peter’s Square, decorated with tapestries featuring pictures of each of the five.

He praised each as a model for the faithful and said their lives and work were as relevant today as they were 700 years ago.