Witnessing the canonization of modern saints is a beautiful way to remind ourselves that holiness isn’t only a relic of the past.
It’s something that keeps living among ordinary people, but it takes extraordinary faith and commitment!
The newest saints canonized in 2024 and 2025 are pretty diverse. Some are tech-savvy missionaries, while others are administrators or martyrs.
Let’s meet them!
1. Giuseppe Allamano
Giuseppe Allamano was canonized in 2024, and he stands as a patron saint of the Consolata Missionaries 和 Consolata Missionary Sisters.
These religious groups are dedicated to serving in the most remote, forgotten areas across the world.
They bring spiritual guidance, healthcare, food, and education to those who desperately need it.
Giuseppe Allamano understood that faith without action doesn’t do much, so he organized these groups that bring Christ to those who can’t reach Him themselves.
His feast day is celebrated on February 16th.
When struggling to leave your comfort zone, keep Saint Giuseppe in your mind. There’s so much you can do for others!
2. María Antonia de Paz y Figueroa
Mama Antula, as this saint is affectionately called, proves that all you need to serve God is faith and goodwill.
She is the patron saint of the Missions in Argentina.
Born in 1730, Mama Antula lived in a time when women’s roles were very restricted. However, she chose to bypass those restrictions.
She founded the Beaterio de Belén, a house of retreat specifically for women.
María Antonia de Paz y Figueroa was also canonized in 2024, and her feast day is March 7th.
Mama Antula was a passionate advocate for Ignatian prayer, which meant using your imagination and senses to truly feel close to God.
She faced clerical resistance, naturally, but she never let it stop her.
3. Elena Guerra
Elena Guerra was canonized in 2024，也是如此。
She was a very influential figure. So much so that she influenced Pope Leo XIII to promote devotion to the Holy Spirit.
That campaign ended up being so successful that he dedicated the entire 20th century to the Holy Spirit!
She also founded the Oblates of the Holy Spirit, an order dedicated to the education of young women.
Saint Elena Guerra mainly lived a hidden life, but she clearly wielded historic influence!
Her feast day is April 11th.
4. Marie-Léonie Paradis
Marie-Léonie Paradis wasn’t a martyr, and she wasn’t too influential, either. But she was great at making things run!
She even earned herself a nickname, “queen of administration!”
In the mid-1800s, she founded the Little Sisters of the Holy Family, an order dedicated to supporting clergy by taking over the domestic duties in seminaries and rectories.
It’s a hidden, behind-the-scenes form of service that reflects their humility.
Saint Marie-Léonie Paradis was canonized in 2024, and her feast day is May 4th.
Her example inspires us to find God and feel close to Him even during the most mundane tasks. After all, those tasks tend to take up most of our day.
By keeping Him in our minds, even the most practical day-to-day stuff feels like service.
5. The Martyrs of Damascus
The Martyrs of Damascus remind us of the grave cost of discipleship, the kind that the Apostles had to face.
Their feast day is on July 10th, and they were also canonized in 2024.
They included two factions: the Massabki Brothers and Manuel Ruiz López with his seven companions.
The brothers Francis, Abdel Moati, and Raphael were killed in 1860 during a wave of anti-Christian violence when they refused to give up Christ.
Saint Manuel and his companions lost their lives in the same uprising.
The latter group also stands out for its intellectual labor. They translated newer Christian texts into Arabic, which significantly promoted evangelization in those regions.
6. Carlo Acutis
Carlo Acutis is the definition of a modern saint. He’s even a patron saint of the internet and Wi-Fi!
He was meant to be canonized by Pope Francis on April 27th, 2025; however, Pope Leo XIV canonized him on September 7th 而不是。
As you can see in the picture above, Carlo was very young, a teenager, who devoted all of his free time to promote Christianity.
He created a website cataloging Eucharistic miracles worldwide.
He was met with overwhelming support, but sadly, he lost a battle with leukemia at just 15 years old. Carlo passed away in 2006.
Some critics claim that he was canonized too quickly since the process typically takes multiple decades and sometimes even centuries.
Either way, the people who made that call recognized the holiness in him and saw no reason to wait.
7. Pier Giorgio Frassati
Pier Giorgio Frassati is also a modern saint because holiness was never his intention; he just sought to love other people.
He was a fierce opponent of the rising fascist regime in Italy in the early 1900s.
To fight the movement, he turned to the Church’s teachings on human dignity and justice.
He cared for the sick and poor, and at the age of 24, he died of poliomyelitis. It’s assumed that he caught a virus from some people he was helping.
He was canonized on the same day as Carlo Acutis.
Pier’s mission proves that opposing systemic evil isn’t just a political theory. It’s proven with concrete action.
He truly followed in Christ’s footsteps, never flinching when he saw the less fortunate, but actually reaching out to help them.
A little Aquarius, devoted to writing and embroidery. Through my writing, I hope to empower readers to align with their true selves and navigate life’s mysteries with confidence.