Pope Leo XIV presided over his first Ordinary Public Consistory, where Cardinals formally approved the canonizations of eight Blesseds. During the ceremony, held on Friday morning, the Holy Father confirmed that Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati and Blessed Carlo Acutis were to be canonized together on 7 September.
The joint canonizations of the two young saints—Frassati from the early twentieth century and Acutis, the first saint of the twenty-first century—had been eagerly anticipated by the faithful worldwide. Their elevation to sainthood fulfilled the late Pope’s earlier announcement at the General Audience of 20 November 2024, when news of their canonizations drew thunderous applause in St. Peter’s Square.
Originally, Acutis was scheduled to be canonized on 27 April, during the Jubilee of Teenagers, while Frassati’s canonization had been fixed for 3 August, marking the conclusion of the Jubilee for Youth. However, both dates were postponed following the death of Pope Francis on 21 April, creating uncertainty over when the ceremonies would take place.
That uncertainty ended with Pope Leo XIV’s decision to canonize them together, highlighting their shared witness of faith despite belonging to different eras and leading very different lives. Both saints are now remembered for their deep love of Christ and their ability to inspire others through their devotion and example.
At Friday’s consistory, Pope Leo XIV confirmed that seven other Blesseds would be canonized in October. Among them is Armenian Catholic Archbishop Ignatius Shoukrallah Maloyan, martyred in 1915 during the Armenian Genocide, and Peter To Rot, a lay catechist executed in 1945 for defying a Japanese ban on Christian ministry. Blessed Peter is to become the first saint from Papua New Guinea.
The list also includes three women religious: Vincenza Maria Poloni, founder of the Sisters of Mercy of Verona; Maria del Monte Carmelo Rendiles of Venezuela, founder of the Servants of Jesus; and Maria Troncatti of the Daughters of Mary, Help of Christians.
Two laymen will also be canonized: Bartolo Longo, who established the Marian Shrine at Pompeii, and Venezuelan physician José Gregorio Hernández Cisneros, revered as “the doctor of the poor” for his selfless medical care and generosity toward the needy.