9. Saints in the modern world

‘Saints in the modern world’ considers the impact of the Enlightenment and industrialization on sainthood. Canonizations continued throughout the Enlightenment period, though not in great numbers. The new saints were fairly conventional figures, reflecting an ecclesiastical approach tempered by moderation and reason. For most of the 20th century the Roman Catholic Church canonized relatively few saints; 158 saints were made between 1846 and 1978. Since then more than 1,000 saints have been canonized, mainly during the pontificates of John Paul II and Francis. It concludes that as well as being a force for social cohesion, the cult of saints can reflect asymmetries and tensions within faith communities.