Pope canonises new saints from Sweden and Poland

St Elizabeth Hesselblad

Pope Francis canonised two new saints on Sunday: a Swedish nun who hid Jews during World War II and the Polish founder of the Marian Fathers. The Pope called Elizabeth Hesselblad and Stanislaus Papczynski "exemplary witnesses to this mystery of resurrection" during the canonisation Mass in St Peter's Square attended by more than 40,000 pilgrims including Polish President Andrzej Duda and his wife Agata.

Elizabeth Hesselblad saved the lives of 12 Jews by hiding them in the convent in Rome where she was mother superior. After the war she was awarded the title Righteous Among the Nations by Israel. It is said Sister Elizabeth never tried to convert those she saved but, insisted "that they say their Hebrew prayers and fulfill other obligations of their religion."

Elizabeth Hesselblad is Sweden's second saint to be canonised in 625 years. The Swedish saint before her was Saint Bridget, who was canonised in 1391.

The new Polish saint, Stanislaus of Jesus and Mary, was born in 1631 and worked supporting hospitals, hospices and shelters for the poor and cared for the sick in 17th Century Poland. He founded the Marian Fathers.

During the Angelus address, Pope Francis recognized that the official delegations of Poland and Sweden were present and prayed for these nations to be blessed. He concluded, praying that Mary helps faithful on their path toward holiness and toward constructing justice and peace.

On September 4, Pope Francis will canonize Blessed Mother Teresa of Kolkata, formerly Calcutta, in the Vatican. On October 16, the Pope will canonize Blessed Jose Sanchez del Rio, a 14-year-old Mexican boy who was killed for refusing to renounce his faith in the 1920s during the Cristero War, together with Argentine Blessed Jose Gabriel del Rosario, referred to as the 'gaucho priest.'