Pope Francis on Saturday advanced Robert Schuman’s cause for sainthood, authorizing a decree of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints recognizing the French statesman’s heroic virtues.
Born in Luxembourg in 1886, Schuman became a French citizen in 1919 and immediately involved himself in politics. He served in various French governments, rising to prominence following the Second World War; in 1947, he became Prime Minister for the first time. In the aftermath of war, he pursued a pro-European policy that ultimately led to the Council of Europe and the European Community single market. In 1958 he became the first President of the European Parliamentary Assembly, which acclaimed him “Father of Europe.”
