The President of the Republic and Madam Chantal BIYA attended the canonisation mass on Sunday 27April 2014 during which Pope John XXIII and Pope John Paul II were canonised as Saints of the Roman Catholic Church. The mass was concelebrated by Pope Francis, and the Emeritus Pope Benedict XVI was in attendance.

President Paul BIYA and his wife arrived the Saint Peter’s Square at 8.30 a.m. and took up his position alongside other Heads of State and Government present at the ceremony. As faithful Catholics, they followed the mass attentively till the end. In the homily, Pope Francis praised the Pope John XXIII as one who had an openness to the Holy Spirit, while Pope John Paul II was a family Pope, Both Popes were “not afraid to look at the wounds of Jesus, to touch his torn hands and his pierced side”.

The two Popes were thus canonised and can henceforth intercede on behalf of the church so that it “can be open to the Holy Spirit in pastoral service to the family”.

At the end of the mass, the Holy Father took some time to greet some personalities including President Paul BIYA and his wife, as well as the faithful gathered in the Saint Peter’s Square and surrounding streets. He also thanked all those who wanted to pay tribute to two Popes who contributed indelibly for peace and the development of people.

The highly attended mass brought together thousands of leaders from all over the world. President Paul BIYA had a brief chat with some of them immediately after the mass, such as Robert Mugabe of Zimbabwe, Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasago of Equatorial Guinea and Henri Konan Bedie, the former President of Ivory Coast.