The second Filipino Saint Pedro Calungsod was officially declared as a Saint in a simple rites presided by Pope Benedict XVI together with six other saints.
After 12-years journey since the young Filipino catechist from Southern Philippines was beatified for his martyrdom in the Pacific island of Guam.
The formal rights of Saint Calungsod Sainthood was ended at around 3:54 Â PM (PST) with the Pope reading the decree of confirming the entry of the name of Calungsod and six others, which also included the first native American Kateri Tekakwitha.
The rites was preceded by a eucharistic celebration instead of being part of the Holy M(–foul word(s) removed–) which took less than half an hour.
During the ceremony, the theme song of the Visayan catechist, Saint Pedro Calungsod was played in its English version, followed by the Italian versions.
Six other Blessed were also named as Saint together with Calungsod they were; Kateri Tekakwitha, Maria Anna Cope, French Jesuit Jacques Berthieu, German lay woman Maria Schaeffer, Italian priest Giovanni Battista Piamarta and Spanish nun Maria del Carmen.
President Benigno Aquino III earlier declared Sunday a national day of celebration for the elevation of Calungsod to the roll of saints.
