Pope John Paul II put more faithful on the path to possible sainthood Sunday, including a preacher who helped inspire Christians to defeat Muslims in the 1683 siege of Vienna and a priest-typographer who founded an Italian publishing house.
In all, the pontiff beatified six persons, all Italians, including four nuns Maria Cristina Brando, Eugenia Ravasco, Maria Domenica Mantovani, Giulia Salzano born in the 19th century who established religious orders.
Tens of thousands of faithful turned out for the two-hour ceremony led by the pontiff in St. Peter's Square. The ailing John Paul, who turns 83 next month, used a special chair which allows him to sit at the altar while celebrating Mass instead of standing as he used to do, so he can conserve his strength.
Beatification is the last formal step before possible canonization and requires evidence of one miracle after the person's death. Evidence of a second miracle is required for sainthood.
Those beatified Sunday included Marco d'Aviano, an itinerant preacher for the Capuchins, a branch of the Franciscan friars. Born in Aviano, northern Italy, in 1631, the preacher led Catholics and Protestants in prayer on the eve of the battle for Vienna, Austria, which was critical in stopping the advance of Turkish soldiers in Europe.
John Paul praised his "courageous" preaching and said the Capuchin was "inspired by the circumstances to commit himself actively to defend freedom and the unity of Christian Europe."
The example of Marco d'Aviano, the pontiff said, can remind Europe that "its unity will be more solid if based on common Christian roots."
As the European Union expands its borders and overhauls its institutions and constitution, John Paul has been issuing calls to Europeans to remember Christian cultural foundations.
According to legend, cappuccino owes its name to the preacher's fame. After the Turks were defeated by the outnumbered Christians, they fled, leaving behind bags of coffee, according to the legend.
The Viennese decided the coffee was too strong and diluted it with cream and milk. The milky brown color of the frothy drink reminded some of the color of the preacher's robes, and thus the name cappuccino was coined.
Another Italian beatified by the pope, a best-selling author, was Giacomo Alberione, a priest who also believed in using modern means to bring God to the faithful.
Alberione, who died in 1971, founded the Paoline Family, which includes a publishing operation printing many religious books as well as Famiglia Cristiana, a top-selling weekly that covers issues of daily life, from homemaking to education, and religious life.
John Paul has used his papacy to give Catholics role models of morality, courage and fidelity to church teaching. He has given the church far more saints and beatified faithful than any other pontiff.
Sunday's ceremony raised to 1,310 the number of those beatified. John Paul has made 464 saints, and on May 3 he journeys to Spain to lead his latest canonization ceremony.