Pope names 14 new saints, including martyrs of Damascus

Pope Francis created a new group of saints on Sunday, canonising 14 individuals including the "martyrs of Damascus", killed in Syria during the Ottoman Empire and symbols of Christian persecution.

Francis presided over the canonisation ceremony in Saint Peter's Square in the presence of thousands of Catholic faithful from around the world. The date of that canonisation has not yet been set but it could take place in 2025, the Church's Jubilee year, when more than 30 million pilgrims are expected to descend on Rome.