The Pontiff approved the promulgation of the decrees presented by the Dicastery for the Causes of Saints.
Newsroom (18/12/2024 16:08, Gaudium Press): On Wednesday morning, December 18, Pope Francis received the prefect of the Dicastery for the Causes of Saints, Cardinal Marcello Semeraro, in the audience. During the private meeting, the Pontiff approved the favorable votes of the Ordinary Session of Cardinals and Bishops, Members of the Dicastery, for the canonization of 18 new Saints.
Blessed Teresa of St. Augustine and 15 companions
Blessed Thérèse of Saint Augustine and 15 companions of the Order of Discalced Carmelites of Compiègne will have their devotion extended to the whole Church. They were martyrs killed for hatred of the Faith during the French Revolution. It is an Equipollent Canonization, a practice initiated by Benedict XIV through which the Pope extends the devotion of a servant of God not canonized to the whole Church through a decree.
Two new martyrs and three new Servants of God
During the same audience, Francis also authorized the Dicastery for the Causes of Saints to promulgate the decree concerning the martyrdom of the Servant of God Edward Profittlich, of the Society of Jesus, titular archbishop of Adrianople and apostolic administrator of Estonia. Born on September 11, 1890, in Birresdorf, Germany, he died on February 22, 1942, ex alumni ordinis (due to suffering in prison) in Kirov (Russia).
The other decree concerning a martyr is that of the Servant of God Elia Comini, a Salesian priest who was born in Calenzano di Vergato (Italy) on May 7, 1910, and died ‘in odium fidei’ on October 1, 1944, in Pioppe di Salvaro (Italy). Also made Venerable are the Servants of God Áron Márton, Bishop, Giuseppe Maria Leone, Priest, and Pietro Goursat, French layman. (EPC)
Compiled by Dominic Joseph
