Pope Francis will canonise two Palestinian nuns from 19th century. They will be among the four new saints declared in Rome St. Peter`s Square.
These two nuns,Marie Alphonsine Ghattas and Mariam Bawardy, according to reports, lived in the then Ottoman-ruled Palestine and spoke Arabic fluently.
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas is in Vatican to attend the ceremony. Pope, after meeting Abbas on Saturday, called him the `angel of peace.`
This move is being seen as the Vatican`s support towards dwindling population of Christian communities in the middle-east.
Abbas` visit came just days after the Vatican formally recognised Palestinian statehood in a treaty. Israel had expresssed its displeasure on the use of the word
`Palestinian State` in the Vatican treaty.