Pope canonises 2 saints from 19th century Palestine

The ceremony in Saitn Peter's Square highlighted Pope Francis’ longstanding drive to help embattled Christian communities in the Middle East.

Pilgrims wave Palestinian flags before a holy mass in St Peter's square on May 17, 2015 for the canonisation of four nuns – including two from 19th century Palestine, St Marie Alphonsine Ghattas from Show more

VATICAN CITY // Pope Francis named two Palestinian women as saints on Sunday, in a ceremony in Saint Peter’s Square just days after the Vatican formalised its de facto recognition of the State of Palestine.

The pontiff canonised the two nuns from what was 19th century Palestine in hopes of encouraging Christians across the Middle East who are facing a wave of persecution from extremists.

The canonisation of Sister Marie-Alphonsine Danil Ghattas, founder of the Sisters of the Most Holy Rosary of Jerusalem, and Maryam Baouardy, who founded a Carmelite convent in Bethlehem, was not directly connected with the Vatican’s Wednesday announcement of a new accord with the State of Palestine.

But the ceremony, attended by Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas and a delegation of senior clergy including the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem Fouad Twal, highlighted Pope Francis’ longstanding drive to help embattled Christian communities in the Middle East.

The canonisations of two Palestinians were the first of their kind “since the days of the apostles”, Father Twal said.

An estimated 2,000 pilgrims from the region, some waving Palestinian flags, were also on hand for the canonisation of the first saints from the Holy Land since the early years of Christianity.

Saint Peter’s Square was decked out for the occasion with portraits of the Palestinians and two other newly sanctified nuns - Jeanne-Emilie de Villeneuve from France and Maria Cristina of the Immaculate Conception Brando from Italy.

In his homily, Pope Francis said the four women were models of showing unity and charity toward all. “Their luminous example challenges us in our lives as Christians,” he said.

Sister Bawardy was a mystic born in 1843 in the village of Ibilin in what is now the Galilee region of northern Israel. She is said to have received the “stigmata” – bleeding wounds like those that Jesus Christ suffered on the cross – and died at the age of 33 in the West Bank town of Bethlehem, where she founded a Carmelite order monastery that still exists.

Sister Ghattas, born in Jerusalem in 1847, opened girls’ schools, fought female illiteracy, and co-founded the Congregation of the Sisters of the Rosary. The order today boasts dozens of centres all over the Middle East – from Egypt to Syria – that operate kindergartens, homes for the elderly, medical clinics and guest houses.

In addition to the Palestinian delegation on hand for the Mass, France, Italy, Jordan and Israel also sent official delegations to the Holy See.

Christians make up less than 2 per cent of the population of Israel and the Palestinian territories – the birthplace of Christianity. Although Christians have not experienced the violent persecution that has decimated Christian communities elsewhere in the region, the population has gradually shrunk over the decades as Christians have fled conflict or sought better opportunities abroad.

* Reuters and Associated Press