Pope Leo to Canonise Seven Saints, Including Ex-Satanist and Venezuela’s “Doctor of the Poor”

Vatican City, Oct. 18, 2025 —

Pope Leo will canonise seven new saints on Sunday, 19 October, at the Vatican, including an Italian lawyer who renounced Satanism to become “an apostle of the rosary,” a martyred Armenian archbishop, and a Venezuelan physician revered as the “doctor of the poor.”

The canonisations, originally approved by the late Pope Francis, will bring into sainthood three women and four men — among them two martyrs, three laypeople, and two founders of religious orders. The group includes Papua New Guinea’s first saint and the first two saints from Venezuela.

Bartolo Longo (1841–1926)

Once a practising Catholic, Bartolo Longo’s dramatic conversion remains one of the most remarkable in modern Church history. After embracing atheism and even Satanism while studying law in Naples, Longo renounced his past through the prayers and influence of devout friends and Dominican priest Fr. Alberto Radente.

He later dedicated his life to spreading devotion to the rosary, rebuilding the Church in Pompeii, and founding the Shrine of Our Lady of the Rosary, now a renowned pilgrimage site. Longo also championed social justice, establishing schools and orphanages for the children of prisoners. He died in 1926 and was beatified by Pope John Paul II in 1980.

Ignatius Choukrallah Maloyan (1869–1915)

An Armenian Catholic archbishop, Ignatius Maloyan was executed during the Armenian genocide after refusing to convert to Islam. Imprisoned, beaten, and finally shot on 10 June 1915, he declared before his death: “I consider the shedding of my blood for my faith the sweetest desire of my heart.” He was beatified by Pope John Paul II in 2001.

Peter To Rot (1912–1945)

A lay catechist from Papua New Guinea, Peter To Rot was martyred during the Japanese occupation of World War II for secretly preserving the faith and defending Christian marriage. Arrested and killed by lethal injection in 1945, he was beatified by Pope John Paul II in 1995 and will become the first saint from Papua New Guinea.

José Gregorio Hernández (1864–1919)

Known as the “doctor of the poor,” Venezuelan physician José Gregorio Hernández combined scientific brilliance with deep Catholic faith. A lay Franciscan, he devoted his medical career to serving the sick and destitute. He died in 1919 after being struck by a car and was beatified by Pope Francis in 2021.

Maria Troncatti (1883–1969)

An Italian Salesian sister, Maria Troncatti served for 44 years among Ecuador’s Indigenous Shuar people as a nurse, surgeon, and catechist. Called “Madrecita” by locals, she died in a plane crash in 1969 and was beatified in 2012.

María del Carmen Rendiles Martínez (1903–1977)

Born in Caracas without her left arm, Sister María Carmen founded the Servants of Jesus in 1965, fostering Eucharistic devotion. She led her congregation until her death in 1977 and was beatified by Pope Francis in 2018 — becoming Venezuela’s first female saint.

Vincenza Maria Poloni (1802–1855)

Founder of the Sisters of Mercy of Verona, Vincenza Maria Poloni dedicated her life to serving the poor and sick, especially during the 1836 cholera epidemic. Her motto, “Serving Christ in the Poor,” continues to guide her congregation worldwide. She was beatified in 2008.

These seven exemplars of faith, mercy, and courage will soon join the ranks of the Church’s saints, offering enduring inspiration to Catholics across the world.

Pope Leo to Canonise Seven Saints, Including Ex-Satanist and Venezuela’s “Doctor of the Poor”

Latest News