Whenever a priest chooses to use Eucharistic Prayer I (also known as the “Roman Canon”) during the celebration of Mass, he has the option of reciting a short list of saints before and after saying the sacred words of consecration. This list highlights many important historical saints, and the list has changed little throughout the centuries.
The first list highlights the Blessed Virgin Mary, Saint Joseph, and the 12 apostles. Then the priest will proceed to recite the names of a number of saints who are not well known by most Christians.
Who are these saints? The initial group of saints mentioned after the apostles include five martyred popes.
Click “Launch the Slideshow” in the image below for the full list of popes mentioned in the Roman Canon:
