Pope declares five new saints
Pope John Paul has elevated five people to sainthood, including Lebanon's first woman saint.
A tired-looking John Paul canonised the five at St Peter's Square in the Vatican City.
Among the five was Sister Rafqa, of the Lebanese Maronite Antonine Order.
The pontiff said: "May Saint Rafqa watch after those who know suffering, in particular those people of the Middle East confronted with the destructive and sterile spiral of violence."
Also canonised were the Rev Luigi Scrosoppi, founder of the Congregation of the Sisters of Providence of St Gaetano of Thiene; the Rev Agostino Roscelli, founder of the Congregation of the Sisters of the Immaculate Conception of Genoa; Bernardo da Corleone, of the Minor Order of Capuchin Friars; and Sister Teresa Eustochio Verzeri, founder of the Institute of the Daughters of the Sacred Heart of Jesus.
The 81-year-old pontiff has named more than 450 saints since becoming Pope in 1978 - more than all his predecessors of the last 500 years combined.
He has viewed sainthood as a way to point out role models for Catholics and bring recognition to the church in different countries.
