Two Quebecers are among new saints named by Pope Francis at Vatican

VATICAN, Vatican City – Two Quebecers are among three new saints declared by Pope Francis.

St. Marie de l’Incarnation and St. Francois de Laval were named in decrees signed by the Pope.

The other new saint is St. Jose de Anchieta of Brazil.

St. Marie de l’Incarnation was a French Ursuline who came to Quebec in 1639 from France and established the order in what would become Canada.

St. Francois de Laval arrived in Quebec about 20 years after her and became its first bishop.

The pope used a process called “equivalent canonization” to declare the trio saints.

Quebec Archbishop Gerald Cyprien Lacroix hailed the news on Thursday.

“Their life is certainly an encouragement to us today who work for the new evangelization and engage in building a more humane world,” he said at a news conference in Quebec City.

Prime Minister Stephen Harper described the event as “a great honour for Canada and a marvellous day for Catholics.”