Pope Benedict names first ever Native American saint

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Vatican City, Oct 22: Pope Benedict XVI has created seven new saints, including the first Native American one, Mohawk Kateri Tekakwitha

Another newly named saint is Marianne Cope, a German-born woman, who emigrated to the United States as a child, became a nun and went on to devote 30 years of her life helping lepers in Hawaii.

According to CNN.com, their canonization, along with that of five other saints, was celebrated at a special Mass in St. Peter’s Square on Sunday morning.

The pope praised Tekakwitha, whom he said lived a simple life of service.

According to the report, Vatican senior communications adviser Greg Burke said that ‘Sainthood is the guarantee that this person is close to God’.

“There’s a vast history of people the Catholic Church has made saints over the centuries. Holiness is absolutely a matter of equal opportunity, but this certainly is special because it marks the first time a Native American becomes a saint,” Burke added. (ANI)