John XXIII and John Paul II were canonized Sunday by Pope Francis in an unprecedented ceremony witnessed by huge crowds gathered in St. Peter's Square in Vatican City. Millions more around the world watched as two former pontiffs were for the first time installed as saints in a dual canonization. The faithful and the curious packed the streets of Rome around the Vatican before dawn, hoping to gain entry to St. Peter's Square and catch a direct glimpse of church history in the making. Vatican Radio put the crowds at some 800,000 in the St. Peter's area, including the square and the roads and gardens around it. Another 500,000 followed the proceedings on giant screens set up around Rome, according to estimates based on police aerial shots.
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Estimated 800,000 watch ceremony in St. Peter's area, 500,000 more around Rome
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Pope Francis hails John XXIII and John Paul II as "men of courage" in his homily
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"They were priests, bishops and popes of the 20th century," Francis says
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The presence of two living popes for a canonization ceremony is historic
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