Hundreds of thousands of people today filled St Peter's Square at the Vatican for a historic day involving four popes.
In the presence of retired Pope Benedict XVI, Francis declared John XXIII and John Paul II saints - in the first canonisation of two pontiffs.
Benedict, now aged 87, was sitting off to the side with other cardinals in the square during the rite at the start of Sunday's Mass.
Italian officials predicted 1million were watching the Mass from the square, the streets surrounding it and nearby piazzas where TV screens were set up.
Faithful filling the square: Pope Francis has declared his two predecessors John XXIII and John Paul II saints in an unprecedented ceremony
Big moment: Catholic faithful attend the canonisation ceremony of Popes John XXIII and John Paul II in St Peter's Square at the Vatican
On camera: As three photographers record the scene, Pope Francis swings an incense burner during the historic double canonisation ceremony
In charge: Pope Francis leads a solemn celebration in St. Peter's Square. Hundreds of thousands of people filled the square today
Greetings: Emeritus Pope Benedict XVI meets Italian President Giorgio Napolitano in St Peter's Square at the Vatican
Francis recited the saint-making formula in Latin, saying that after deliberating, consulting and praying for divine assistance 'we declare and define Blessed John XXIII and John Paul II be saints and we enrol them among the saints, decreeing that they are to be venerated as such by the whole church'.
Polish pilgrims carrying the red and white flags of John Paul's beloved homeland were among the first to press into the square well before dawn.
They were held back by human chains of neon-vested civil protection workers trying to maintain order.
Most of those who arrived first had camped out overnight along the side streets leading to the square.
Others had not slept at all and took part in the all-night prayer vigils hosted at a dozen churches in central Rome.
‘Four popes in one ceremony is a fantastic thing to see and to be at, because it is history being written in our sight,’ said David Halfar, a visiting Pole
‘It is wonderful to be a part in this and to live all of this.’
The Vatican ended weeks of speculation yesterday and confirmed that retired Benedict would indeed participate in the canonisation.
'Four popes in one ceremony is a fantastic thing to see and to be at, because it is history being written in our sight'
David Halfar, visiting Pole
The move sets a remarkable precedent for the 2,000-year-old Catholic Church, which has never seen a reigning and retired pope celebrating a public Mass together.
Benedict had promised to remain ‘hidden from the world’ after resigning last year, but Francis has coaxed him out of retirement and urged him to take part in the public life of the church.
Today’s canonisation is the first time two popes have been declared saints at the same time. 
Decorated: A man from the Congo wears a hat sporting a picture of John Paul II as final preparations are made ahead of the ceremony
Costa Rican: Floribeth Mora, who claims she was cured of a serious brain condition by a miracle attributed to Pope John Paul II, arrives with her husband Edwin Arce
Francis's decision to canonise two of the 20th century's greatest spiritual leaders amounts to a delicate balancing act, giving both the conservative and progressive wings of the church a new saint.
John reigned from 1958 to 1963, while John Paul had a quarter-century papacy from 1978 to 2005.
His globe-trotting papacy and launch of the wildly popular World Youth Days invigorated a new generation of Catholics.
And his defence of core church teaching heartened conservatives after the turbulent 1960s.
‘John Paul was our pope,’ said Therese Andjoua, a 49-year-old nurse who travelled from Libreville, Gabon, with some 300 other pilgrims to attend.
Come this way: Archbishop George Gaenswein, prefect of the papal household, right, welcomes Italian President Giorgio Napolitano and his wife Clio
Come this way: Archbishop George Gaenswein, prefect of the papal household, right, welcomes Italian President Giorgio Napolitano and his wife Clio
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World leader: Zimbabwe's President Robert Mugabe and his wife Grace Mugabe (left) arrive, while Anna Komorowska (right)) takes a picture of her husband Polish President Bronislaw Komorowski (left, in right photo) and former Polish President Aleksander Kwasniewski
Royals: Belgium's King Albert II (left) Spain's King Juan Carlos and Queen Silvia sit in St Peter's Square at the Vatican
Ready: People wait to enter St Peter's Square at the Vatican. For such a momentous occasion, the ceremony is quite short and straightforward
Early morning: Pilgrims sleep and sit outside a church near St Peter's Square as they wait to attend the ceremony for the canonisation of John XXIII and John Paul II
Committed: Pilgrims sleep inside a church near St Peter's Square waiting to attend the ceremony for the canonisation of Pope John XXIII and Pope John Paul II
Watching from elsewhere: Crowds gather in God's Mercy sanctuary in Krakow, Poland, to view the ceremony of canonisation
Abroad: Filipino children dressed as popes are seen during a mass on the day that Pope Francis canonised John Paul II and John XXIII, in Quezon, Philippines
She sported a traditional African dress bearing the images of the two new saints.
'In 1982 he came to Gabon and told us to "Get up, go forward and be not afraid". When we heard he was going to be canonised, we got up'
Therese Andjoua, a nurse visiting from Gabon
‘In 1982 he came to Gabon and when he arrived he kissed the ground and told us to “Get up, go forward and be not afraid”,’ she recalled.
As she rested against a pallet of water bottles, she added: ‘When we heard he was going to be canonised, we got up.’
Kings, queens, presidents and prime ministers from more than 90 countries were expected to attend the canonisations.
Some 20 Jewish leaders from the US, Israel, Italy, Francis' native Argentina and Poland were also taking part.
It was a sign of their appreciation for the strides made in Catholic-Jewish relations under John, John Paul - and their successors celebrating the Mass.
PROFILE: JOHN PAUL II
Pope John Paul II
1920: Born Karol Wojtyla in Poland
1946: Ordained priest
1964: Becomes Archbishop of Krakow
1978: Elected Pope aged 58
1981: Seriously wounded in shooting
2001: Diagnosed with Parkinson's disease
2003: Celebrates Silver Jubilee at Vatican
2004: Papacy becomes third-longest ever
2005: Dies after heart attack
John Paul helped topple communism in Poland through his support of the Solidarity movement. His globe-trotting papacy and launch of the wildly popular World Youth Days invigorated a new generation of Catholics. And his defence of core church teaching heartened conservatives after the turbulent 1960s.
PROFILE: JOHN XXIII
Pope Pope John XXIII
1881: Born Angelo Roncalli, Italy
1904: Ordained priest
1953 Appointed the Patriarch of Venice
1958: Succeeds Pope Pius XII aged 77
1962: Calls the Second Vatican Council
1962: Named Man of the Year by Time
1963: Dies of stomach cancer
2000: John, known as the 'Good Pope', is beatified by Pope John Paul II
John is a hero to liberal Catholics for having convened the Second Vatican Council. The meetings brought the church into the modern era by allowing Mass to be celebrated in local languages rather than Latin and by encouraging greater dialogue with people of other faiths, particularly Jews.
TWO LIVING POPES TO HONOUR TWO DEAD: WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT TODAY'S VATICAN CEREMONY
In a historic match-up of papacies past and present, Pope Francis and emeritus Pope Benedict XVI will honor Popes John XXIII and John Paul II in the first ever canonisation of two popes.
For such a momentous occasion, the ceremony is actually quite short and surprisingly straightforward, with the added benefit that the relics of the two new saints will be presented for universal veneration by the church for the first time.
Here are five things to look for - though beware, the rite is celebrated mostly in Latin, the official language of the Catholic Church.
1. THE CEREMONY
The preliminary part of the ceremony begins at around 8am UK time with prayers, hymns and culminates with the chanting of the hypnotic Litany of Saints, the roll call of the church's saints, each one followed by the refrain ‘Ora pro nobis,’ or ‘Pray for us.’
After Pope Francis and concelebrants process to the altar, the canonisation rite begins immediately.
The head of the Vatican's saint-making office, Cardinal Angelo Amato, asks the pope three separate times to include John XXIII and John Paul II among the saints. In the rite for beatification, there is only one such petition.
The three repeated requests for canonisation ‘signify the importance of this celebration,’ noted the Vatican spokesman the Rev. Federico Lombardi.
2. THE PRONOUNCEMENT
Pope Francis then says: ‘For the honor of the Blessed Trinity, the exaltation of the Catholic faith and the increase of the Christian life, by the authority of our Lord Jesus Christ, and of the holy Apostles Peter and Paul, and our own, after due deliberation and frequent prayer for divine assistance, and having sought the counsel of many of our brother bishops, we declare and define Blessed John XXIII and John Paul II be saints and we enroll them among the saints, decreeing that they are to be venerated as such by the whole church. In the name of the Holy Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.’
3. THE RELICS
Relics of the two new saints are then brought to the altar. In the case of John Paul, the same relic - his blood - used for his 2011 beatification is being used.
For John XXIII, a small piece of skin taken after his body was exhumed for his 2000 beatification is being used.
Relics - the physical remains of a new saint or things he or she touched in life - are used to help the faithful venerate.
Amato then thanks Francis and asks him to draw up an official document attesting to the canonisation.
Francis responds ‘We so decree’ and the rite ends with the singing of the ‘Gloria.’
The Mass then proceeds as usual.
4. BY NUMBERS
The Vatican said Saturday that Francis would preside over the Mass and Benedict would concelebrate along with 150 cardinals and 700 bishops. It's the first time Benedict has joined Francis in celebrating Mass in public since his resignation in 2013. Benedict attended the February ceremony in St. Peter's Basilica in which Francis installed 19 new cardinals, but as a spectator.
About 600 priests will distribute Communion in St. Peter's Square and 210 deacons will distribute Communion to the throngs of people expected to line up along Via della Conciliazione, the main boulevard leading away from the square.
93 official delegations attending, including an estimated 24 heads of state. The kings and queens of Belgium and Spain are expected, as are royals from Andorra, Britain and Luxemburg. Poland is sending one of the largest delegations with the current president and two former presidents, including Lech Walesa, founder of the Solidarity movement that toppled communism in Poland, which John Paul supported.
20 Jewish leaders from the U.S., Israel, Argentina, Poland and Rome.
-Dailymail
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