Pope canonizes 1st Australian saint

? Pope Benedict XVI proclaimed Australia’s first saint on Sunday, canonizing a 19th-century nun and also declaring five other saints in an open-air Mass attended by tens of thousands.

Chants of “Aussie Aussie Aussie! Oi Oi Oi!” echoed throughout St. Peter’s Square as a raucous crowd of flag-and-balloon-carrying Australians used a traditional sports cheer to celebrate the honor bestowed on their late native, Mary MacKillop.

Also canonized Sunday were Canadian Brother Andre Bessette, Italian nuns Giulia Salzano and Battista Camilla da Varano, Spanish nun Candida Maria de Jesus Cipitria y Barriola and Stanislaw Kazimiercyzk Soltys of Poland.