Nazi victims on the road to sainthood

Pope John Paul II added seven people to the ranks of those on the road to possible sainthood today, beatifying victims of Nazi and Ottoman rule and five founders or members of religious orders.

Thousands of pilgrims gathered in a bright St Peter’s Square and cheered as the names of the newly beatified were read out and their images unveiled on tapestries hung from the basilica.

Among those elevated was Nikolaus Gross, a German father of seven who voiced opposition to the Nazis and edited a Catholic workers’ newspaper that was shut down by the regime. Mr Gross was executed in 1945 in a German prison.

The other martyr beatified today was Ignazio Maloyan, an Armenian archbishop who was killed in 1915 during the Ottoman campaign to force Armenians out of eastern Turkey. The pontiff paid tribute to the victims of the campaign during his recent trip to Armenia.

Also recognised were Alfonso Maria Fusco, Italian founder of the Sisters of St John the Baptist; Tommasso Maria Fusco, the Italian founder of the Institute of the Daughters of Charity of the Precious Blood; Emilie Tavernier Gamelin, founder of the Sisters of Providence of Montreal; Eugenia Picco, an Italian-born member of the Little Daughters of the Sacred Heart of Jesus and Maria; and Maria Euthymia Ueffing, a German member of the Sisters of Mercy.

The five who did not die as martyrs needed to have a miracle attributed to their intercession for them to be beatified. A second miracle is required for them to be made a saint.

With today’s ceremony, John Paul has beatified 1,267 people - part of his effort to give the faithful many role models. He has elevated more than 450 to sainthood. In comparison, in the previous 400 or so years, 1,310 candidates were beatified and 300 raised to sainthood.

John Paul told the crowd: ‘‘Our renowned brothers, now elevated to the glory of the exulted, knew how to translate their indomitable faith in Christ into an extraordinary experience of love toward God and service to their neighbours.’’

The pope, 81, appeared well-rested, happily greeting bishops who came to kiss his ring and speaking in a clear voice in several languages. He read from a specially made podium that rested on the arm rests of his chair, rather than from papers held in his hands, which tremble from the symptoms of Parkinson’s disease.

The pontiff first began using a podium on his lap during his trip to Kazakstan last month.

The pope is in the middle of a busy month, presiding over a synod, or meeting of about 250 bishops from around the world who have come to Rome to lay out their problems, hopes and differences.