This Sunday, seven new saints will be canonized!
On October 19, 2025, Pope Leo XIV will raise to the altars seven blesseds whose lives testify to God’s boundless mercy. From a reformed occultist in Italy to martyrs and missionaries across the globe, their stories speak of suffering, conversion, service ...and a faith that transforms.
Following is the list of blesseds to be canonized and a brief bio about each:
Bartolo Longo
Blessed Bartolo Longo’s story reads like something out of a novel—except it’s all true. Born in southern Italy in 1841, Bartolo grew up in a devout Catholic home but lost his faith after his mother’s early death. While studying law at the University of Naples, he became swept up in the anti-Catholic nationalism and spiritualism of his time. What began as curiosity about séances and “magic” spiraled into darkness—he was eventually ordained a priest of Satan, preaching against the Church he had once loved.
But sin and despair could not have the last word. After years of torment, Bartolo experienced terrifying visions and fell into a deep depression. A faithful professor and a Dominican friar reached out to him, guiding him patiently back to the mercy of God. On the Feast of the Sacred Heart in 1865, he was reconciled to the Church. Still, shame and self-hatred haunted him until a moment of grace in the desolate fields of Pompeii. There, he recalled Our Lady’s words: “One who propagates my Rosary shall be saved.” Clinging to that promise, Bartolo vowed to spend his life spreading devotion to the Rosary as reparation for his past sins.
From that moment, everything changed. He became a Third-Order Dominican, taking the name Brother Rosario, and dedicated himself to the poor of Pompeii—building a basilica, founding orphanages and schools, and writing books and novenas to help others rediscover faith through the Rosary. Pope St. John Paul II later called him “the man of the Virgin Mary,” inspired by Bartolo’s conviction that meditating on Christ’s life through the Rosary leads us to friendship with Jesus and Mary.
Bartolo Longo’s life proves that no one is beyond redemption. From the depths of despair, he rose to become an apostle of hope and mercy. His conversion stands as a powerful reminder that God’s grace can transform even the darkest heart into a light for the world. And now, as he joins the company of new saints being canonized on October 19, his story stands among theirs as a radiant witness to the boundless mercy of God—a mercy that can reach every corner of the human heart.
Read: The Satanic Priest Who Became a Saint
José Gregorio Hernández Cisneros
José Gregorio Hernández (1864–1919) was a Venezuelan physician deeply beloved by his countrymen for his care of the poor, earning him the nickname “the doctor of the people.” A lay Franciscan tertiary, he combined medical professionalism with a profound Christian faith, often refusing payment from indigent patients. In 2021 he was beatified, and in 2025 Pope Francis approved his canonization. He stands as a modern image of “saintly medicine” — healing both body and soul.
Maria Troncatti
Born in 1883 in Italy, Sister Maria Troncatti was a Daughter of Mary Help of Christians (FMA) who became a missionary to Ecuador’s indigenous Amazon region.here, she earned the affectionate nickname “Madrecita”, or “little mother,” for her maternal care of the Shuar people. A miraculous healing in 2015 attributed to her intercession involved a man who suffered severe cranial trauma and defied medical expectations in his recovery. Her cause was advanced when the Vatican recognized that miracle, and on 19 October she will be raised to the altar.
Maria del Monte Carmelo Rendiles Martínez
Maria del Monte Carmelo (Carmen) Rendiles Martínez (1903–1977) was a Venezuelan religious sister who, despite losing an arm, founded the Congregation of the Handmaids of Jesus. Her life was marked by simplicity, trust in Providence, and service to the poor in her native land.n early 2025, Pope Francis recognized a miracle attributed to her intercession, making her the first female saint of Venezuela.
Born Luigia Poloni in 1802 in Verona, Italy, she later took the name Maria Vincenza when she entered religious life. With Father Carlo Steeb, she founded the Sisters of Mercy of Verona, committing herself to serving the sick, the elderly, orphans, widows, and marginalized women. She often spoke of the poor as “our masters,” and sought to restore dignity to those society cast aside. A tumor afflicted her in later years, but she persisted in her service until she died in 1855. In January 2025, Pope Francis approved a second miracle attributed to her intercession, paving the way to her canonization.
Peter To Rot
Blessed Peter To Rot was a lay catechist and native of Papua New Guinea who lived during the Japanese occupation in World War II. Even when catechetical activity was banned, he continued to teach, defend marriage, and care for soulsHis persistence drew the ire of the authorities, and he was martyred in 1945 for refusing to abandon his apostolate. He will be the first native Papuan saint, a vivid reminder that holiness can spring from the ordinary laity in mission lands.
Ignatius Maloyan
Archbishop Ignatius Shoukrallah Maloyan (born 1869, Mardin) was a shepherd of the Armenian Catholic community during one of its darkest hours. As the Armenian Genocide unfolded, he was arrested, subjected to torture, and pressured repeatedly to renounce his Christian faith—but he refused every time. After being forced on a death march, he was executed by firing squad rather than abandon his commitment to Christ. His life is a testimony to steadfast faith in the face of brutal persecution.
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All you holy saints in heaven, pray for us!
