John XXIII and John Paul II Become Saints: Pope Francis Canonizes Holy Men Who Helped Shaped Catholicism in Latin America

The process of becoming a saint in the Catholic Church is one that takes decades, even centuries, to finalize. However, two recent popes' journey to sainthood has been accelerated and reached fruition today in Rome.

On Sunday, Pope Francis canonized both Pope John XXIII and Pope John Paul II, men who revolutionized the Church in their time and helped shape what it is now, for good and bad. According to the Washington Post, both popes are seen as opposites within the inner politics of the Church, and their canonization will symbolize the Church's acceptance of change and tradition at the same time.

John XXIII began the Catholic Church's reformation in the 1960s when he called forth the Second Vatican Council. He is credited with modernizing the Church by updating rites and giving the clergy more freedom to help the poor and socialize with the people. On the other end, John Paul II is seen as a more conservative figure that helped fight communism and strengthen Catholic orthodoxy.

In a joint statement published in the National Catholic Reporter, John Gehring, a progressive Catholic advocate, and Kim Daniels, from Catholic Voices USA, argued that Pope Francis' action to canonize both popes together bridges a political gap within the church.

"He [Pope Francis] will also send a powerful message of unity. By simultaneously declaring as saints these two men so often deployed as symbols for competing Catholic camps, Pope Francis is reminding us that the Gospel leaves no room for ideology," wrote Gehring and Daniels.

They argue that both men exemplify different aspects of the same church and the Francis means to reconcile the factions and move the Church forward together. In Latin America, both popes have left an impression. The AP reports that each pope helped shape Catholic identity in Latin America.

John XXIII reforms allowed for the birth of liberation theology, which influenced many left-wing ideas and actions in Latin America as well as allowed for clergy to fight for the poor. Yet, John Paul II was the most travelled pope and visited Latin America many times throughout his tenure, strengthening the ties between the Church and the region.

The first Latin American pope will canonize two former popes who have made significant changes to the Church, which have affected Latin America greatly in the later half of the twentieth century.