Pope Francis has declared Pope Paul VI and killed Salvadoran Archbishop Oscar Romero saints, reciting in Latin the rite of canonisation at the start of Mass in St Peter’s Square.

After hearing brief biographies of Paul, Archbishop Romero and five other people canonised on Sunday, Francis declared them saints and “decreed that they are to be venerated as such by the whole church”.

Vatican Saints
Faithful gather prior to a canonisation ceremony in St Peter’s Square (Andrew Medichini/AP)

The crowd of thousands in St Peter’s Square applauded as Francis pronounced the rite.

Among them were some 5,000 Salvadoran pilgrims who travelled to Rome to honour their hero.

Archbishop Romero stood up to El Salvador’s brutal military dictatorship to defend the rights of the poor and was killed as he said Mass.