Our Sunday Visitor's Catholic Almanac

Canonizations by Leo XIII and His Successors

Canonization (see entry in Glossary) is an infallible declaration by the pope that a person who suffered martyrdom and/or practiced Christian virtue to a heroic degree is in glory with God in heaven and is worthy of public honor by the universal Church and of imitation by the faithful.

Biographies of some of the saints listed below are given elsewhere in the print Almanac.

Leo XIII

(1878-1903)

1881: Clare of Montefalco (d. 1308); John Baptist de Rossi (1698-1764); Lawrence of Brindisi (d. 1619).

1883: Benedict J. Labre (1748-1783).

1888: Seven Holy Founders of the Servite Order; Peter Claver (1581-1654); John Berchmans (1599-1621); Alphonsus Rodriguez (1531-1617).

1897: Anthony M. Zaccaria (1502-1539); Peter Fourier of Our Lady (1565-1640).

1900: John Baptist de La Salle (1651-1719); Rita of Cascia (1381-1457).

St. Pius X

(1903-1914)

1904: Alexander Sauli (1534-1593); Gerard Majella (1725-1755).

1909: Joseph Oriol (1650-1702); Clement M. Hofbauer (1751-1820).

(1914-1922)

1920: Gabriel of the Sorrowful Mother (1838-1862); Margaret Mary Alacoque (1647-1690); Joan of Arc (1412-1431).

Pius XI

(1922-1939)

1925: Thérèse of Lisieux (1873-1897); Peter Canisius (1521-1597); Mary Magdalen Postel (1756-1846); Mary Magdalen Sophie Barat (1779-1865); John Eudes (1601-1680); John Baptist Vianney (Curé of Ars) (1786-1859).

1930: Lucy Filippini (1672-1732); Catherine Tomas (1533-1574); Jesuit North American Martyrs; Robert Bellarmine (1542-1621); Theophilus of Corte (1676-1740).

1931: Albert the Great (1206-1280) (equivalent canonization).

1933: Andrew Fournet (1752-1834); Bernadette Soubirous (1844-1879).

1934: Joan Antida Thouret (1765-1826); Mary Michaeli (1809-1865); Louise de Marillac (1591-1660); Joseph Benedict Cottolengo (1786-1842); Pompilius M. Pirotti, priest (1710-1756); Teresa Margaret Redi (1747-1770); John Bosco (1815-1888); Conrad of Parzham (1818-1894).

1935: John Fisher (1469-1535); Thomas More (1478-1535).

1938: Andrew Bobola (1592-1657); John Leonardi (c. 1550-1609); Salvatore of Horta (1520-1567).

Pius XII

 (1939-1958)

1940: Gemma Galgani (1878-1903); Mary Euphrasia Pelletier (1796-1868).

1943: Margaret of Hungary (d. 1270) (equvalent canonization).

1946: Frances Xavier Cabrini (1850-1917).

1947: Nicholas of Flüe (1417-1487); John of Britto (1647-1693); Bernard Realini (1530-1616); Joseph Cafasso (1811-1860); Michael Garicoits (1797-1863); Jeanne Elizabeth des Ages (1773-1838); Louis Marie Grignon de Montfort (1673-1716); Catherine Labouré (1806-1876).

1949: Jeanne de Lestonnac (1556-1640); Maria Josepha Rossello (1811-1880).

1950: Emily de Rodat (1787-1852); Anthony Mary Claret (1807-1870); Bartolomea Capitanio (1807-1833); Vincenza Gerosa (1784-1847) Jeanne de Valois (1461-1504); Vincenzo M. Strambi (1745-1824); Maria Goretti (1890-1902); Mariana Paredes of Jesus (1618-1645).

1951: Maria Domenica Mazzarello (1837-1881); Emilie de Vialar (1797-1856); Anthony M. Gianelli (1789-1846); Ignatius of Laconi (1701-1781); Francis Xavier Bianchi (1743-1815).

1954: Pope Pius X (1835-1914); Dominic Savio (1842-1857); Maria Crocifissa di Rosa (1813-1855); Peter Chanel (1803-1841); Gaspar del Bufalo (1786-1837); Joseph M. Pignatelli (1737-1811).

1958: Herman Joseph, O. Praem. (1150-1241) (equivalent canonization).

John XXIII

(1958-1963)

1959: Joaquina de Vedruna de Mas (1783-1854); Charles of Sezze (1613-1670).

1960: Gregory Barbarigo (1625-1697) (equivalent canonization); John de Ribera (1532-1611).

1961: Bertilla Boscardin (1888-1922).

1962: Martin de Porres (1579-1639); Peter Julian Eymard (1811-1868); Anthony Pucci, priest (1819-1892); Francis Mary of Camporosso (1804-1866).

1963: Vincent Pallotti (1795-1850).

Paul VI

(1963-1978)

1964: Charles Lwanga and Twenty-One Companions, Martyrs of Uganda (d. between 1885-1887).

1967: Benilde Romacon (1805-1862).

1969: Julia Billiart (1751-1816).

1970: Maria Della Dolorato Torres Acosta (1826-1887); Leonard Murialdo (1828-1900); Therese Couderc (1805-1885); John of Ávila (1499-1569); Nicholas Tavelic, Deodatus of Aquitaine, Peter of Narbonne and Stephen of Cuneo, martyrs (d. 1391); Forty English and Welsh Martyrs (d. 16th cent.).

1974: Teresa of Jesus Jornet Ibars (1843-1897).

1975: Vicenta Maria Lopez y Vicuna (1847-1890); Elizabeth Bayley Seton (1774-1821); John Masias (1585-1645); Oliver Plunket (1629-1681); Justin de Jacobis (1800-1860); John Baptist of the Conception (1561-1613).

1976: Beatrice da Silva (1424 or 1426-1490); John Ogilvie (1579-1615).

1977: Rafaela Maria Porras y Ayllon (1850-1925); John Nepomucene Neumann (1811-1860); Sharbel Makhlouf (1828-1898).

John Paul II

(1978- )

1982: Crispin of Viterbo (1668-1750); Maximilian Kolbe (1894-1941); Marguerite Bourgeoys (1620-1700); Jeanne Delanoue (1666-1736).

1983: Leopold Mandic (1866-1942).

1984: Paola Frassinetti (1809-1892); 103 Korean Martyrs (d. between 1839-1867); Miguel Febres Cordero (1854-1910).

1986: Francis Anthony Fasani (1681-1742); Giuseppe Maria Tomasi (1649-1713).

1987: Giuseppe Moscati (d. 1927); Lawrence (Lorenzo) Ruiz and Fifteen Companions, Martyrs of Japan (d. 1630s).

1988: Eustochia Calafato (1434-1485); 117 Martyrs of Vietnam (96 Vietnamese, 11 Spanish, 10 French; included 8 bishops, 50 priests, 1 seminarian, 58 lay persons); Roque Gonzalez (1576-1628), Alfonso Rodriguez (1598-1628) and Juan de Castillo (1596-1628), Jesuit martyrs of Paraguay; Rose Philippine Duchesne (1796-1852); Simon de Rojas (1552-1624); Magdalen of Canossa (1774-1835); Maria Rosa Molas y Vollve (d. 1876).

1989: Clelia Barbieri (1847-1870); Gaspar Bertoni (1777-1853); Richard Pampuri, religious (1897-1930); Agnes of Bohemia (1211-1282); Albert Chmielowski (1845-1916); Mutien-Marie Wiaux (1841-1917).

1990: Marguerite D’Youville (1701-1777).

1991: Raphael (Jozef) Kalinowski (1835-1907).

1992: Claude La Colombiere (1641-1682); Ezequiel Moreno y Diaz (1848-1905).

1993: Marie of St. Ignatius (Claudine Thevenet) (1774-1837); Teresa “de los Andes” (Juana Fernandez Solar) (1900-20); Enrique de Ossó y Cervelló (1840-96).

1995: Jan Sarkander (1576-1620), Zdislava of Lemberk (d. 1252); Marek Krizin (1588-1619), Stefan Pongracz (1582-1619), Melichar Grodziecky (1584-1619), martyrs of Kosice; Eugene de Mazenod (1782-1861).

1996: Jean-Gabriel Perboyre (1802-40), Juan Grande Roman (1546-1600) and Bro. Egidio Maria of St. Joseph (1729-1812).

1997: Hedwig (1371-1399), John Dukla, O.F.M. (d. 1484).

1998: Edith Stein (d. 1942).

1999: Marcellin Joseph Benoit Champagnat (1789-1840), Giovanni Calabria (1873-1954), Agostina Livia Pietrantonio (1864-1894), Sr. Kunegunda Kinga (1224-92); Cirilo Bertrán and eight companion Brothers of the Christian Schools (d. Oct. 9, 1934); Inocencio de la Immaculada (d. Oct. 9, 1934); St. Jaime Hilario Barbal (1889-1937); Benedetto Menni (1841-1914); Tommaso da Cori (1655-1729).

2000: Mary Faustina Kowalska (1905-1938); Augustine Chao and Other Martyrs of China María Josefa of the Heart of Jesus Sancho de Guerra (1842-1912); Cristóbal Magallanes and 24 Companions (d. 1915-28); José Maria de Yermo y Parres (1851-1904); Maria de Jesús Sacramentado Venegas (1868-1959); 120 Martyrs of China; Katherine Drexel; Maria Josefa of the Heart of Jesus Sancho de Guerra; Josephine Bakhita. 

2001: 2001: Luigi Scrosoppi (1804-1884); Agostino Roscelli (1818-1902); Bernardo da Corleone (1605-1667); Teresa Eustochio Verzeri (1801-1852); Rafqa Petra Choboq Ar-Rayes (1832-1914). 

Giuseppe Marello (1844-1895): Italian bishop and founder of the Oblates of St. Joseph. The religious community of priests and brothers was intended to assist bishops and clergy in evangelization. The members of the congregation arrived in the United States in 1929. In 1889, Giuseppe was consecrated the bishop of Asti. He died suddenly from a stroke. Pope John Paul II beatified Giuseppe in 1993 and canonized him on Nov. 25, 2001.

Léonie Françoise de Sales Aviat (1844-1914):Foundress of the Sister Oblates of Saint Francis of Sales with Fr. Brisson. The congregation had as its aim helping the plight of thousands of young woman trapped by the poverty and harsh life caused by the Industrial Revolution. By the time of her death, there were houses in Mexico and throughout many missionary lands. Pope John Paul II beatified her in 1992 and canonized her on Nov. 25, 2001. Her canonization miracle involved the healing of a 14-year-old Philadelphia girl with a spinal disease that had left her paralyzed.

Maria Crescentia Höss (1682-1744):Bavarian Franciscan tertiary nun. In 1703, she was permitted to enter the Franciscan tertiaries of Mayerhoff, in large measure because of the personal appeal of the town’s Protestant mayor. Professed in 1704, she remained at Mayerhoff for the rest of her life. She endured frequent abuse from her fellow sisters, owing to the poor origins of her family. In 1741, she was elected superior of the community over her own protests. She was beatified in 1900 by Pope Leo XIII (r. 1878-1903) and canonized on Nov. 25, 2001.

Paula Montal Fornés de San José de Calasanz (1799-1889):Foundress of the Daughters of Mary, "the Pious School Sisters." The congregation received papal approval from Pope Pius IX (r. 1846-1878) in May 1860. Five years later, Queen Isabel II (r. 1833-1868) of Spain recognized the Daughters of Mary as well. The congregation arrived in the United States in 1954. Paula died at Olesa de Montserrat on Feb. 26, 1889. Pope John Paul II beatified Paula in 1993 and canonized her on Nov. 25, 2001.

2002: Gaetano Errico, Lodovico Pavoni, Luigi Variara, Maria del Transito de Jesus Sacramentado, Artemide Zatti, Maria Romero Meneses (Apr. 14); Kamen Vitchev, Pavel Djidjov, Josaphat Chichkov (May 26); Juan Bautista and Jacinto de Los Angeles (July 31); Zygmunt Szczesny Felinski, Jan Balicki, Jan Beyzym, Sancja Szymkowiak (Aug. 17).  

Alonso de Orozco (1500-1591): A 16th-century Spanish Augustinian friar, who devoted most of his life to the poor. Known for his brilliant homilies, he was appointed "royal preacher" to the court of the emperor Charles V in 1554. He was also the author of many ascetical and mystical works. He was beatified by Pope Leo XIII on the January 15, 1882 and canonized on May 19, 2002.

Benedicta Cambiagio Frassinello (1791-1858): Italian foundress of the Benedictine Sisters of Providence. She married Giovanni Battista Frassinella in 1816 and lived as a married woman for two years; she then agreed with her husband to live chastely, as "brother and sister." The two eventually entered religious orders, and Benedetta founded her congregation to teach young girls. Pope John Paul II beatified Benedicta on May 10, 1987, and canonized her on May 19, 2002.

Ignazio da Santhiá (1686-1770) An 18th-century Italian Capuchin known for his ministry as a confessor and spiritual adviser. He was renowned for his gift of spiritual direction and concern for the spiritual life of the faithful. Pope Paul VI beatified him on Apr. 17, 1966, and Pope John Paul II canonized him on May 19, 2002.

Paulina do Coracao Agonizante de Jesus (Amabile Visintainer) (d. 1942): Italian-born founder of the Little Sisters of the Immaculate Conception; she is honored as the "first saint who grew up in Brazil." The congregation, dedicated to serving the poor, sick and elderly, was approved in 1885. Pope John Paul II beatified her in Florianopolis (São Paulo), Brazil, on Oct. 18, 1991, and canonized her on May 19, 2002.

Umile da Bisignano (1582-1637): Franciscan friar considered by contemporaries to be slow and seemingly dim-witted; in truth, he showed gifts of mysticism and demonstrated a life of deep prayer up to the moment of his death. He was beatified by Leo XII on the Jan. 29, 1882 and canonized by Pope John Paul II on May 19, 2002.

Pio da Pietrelcina (Francesco Forgione): Canonized on June 16, 2002 (See above under Saints; for other details, see under International News in Special Reports).

Juan Diego Cuauhlatoatzin: Canonized on July 30, 2002. (See above under Saints).

Pedro de San Jose de Betancur (1616-1667): Franciscan missionary, called the "St. Francis of the Americas"; he entered the Third Order Franciscans in Guatemala and founded a hospital, a hostel, schools, and an oratory for the poor. He was beatified in 1980 and canonized on July 31, 2002, by Pope John Paul II.

Josemaria Escrivá de Balaguer: Scheduled to be canonized on Oct. 6, 2002. 

2003: Pierre Bonhomme, María Dolores Rodríguez Sopeña, María Caridad Brader, Juana María Condesa Lluch, László Batthyány-Strattmann (Mar. 23); Eugenia Ravasco, Giacomo Alberione, Giulia Salzano, Marco d’Aviano, Maria Cristina Brando, Maria Domenica Mantovani (Apr. 27); Maria of Jesus Crucified Petkovic (June 6); Ivan Merz (June 22).