Locals witness historical canonization

DETROIT – Packing Saint Peter's Square Sunday were collars and cassocks from all over the world were seen. And there were also a few locals there to witness the historical event.

David Thomashevski of Casco Township is Polish, Catholic and he's studying to be a priest in Rome, where the last year has been a choice affirming blur from conclave to canonization.

"I don't think it's dawned on me yet. It's quite the experience," Thomashevski said.

The Polish connection also brought the Chochla family from Gross Pointe Shores. Victoria Chochla should've been studying for finals in Ann Arbor, but witnessing the canonization was somewhat of its own master's class.

"I kept kind of pinching myself, saying, 'Am I dreaming?' But this is the real deal and I could not believe that I was here," Victoria Chochla said.

The wildly popular Pope Francis has been compared to Pope John Paul for his star-power, but church scholars might suggest he's closer in spirit to John the 23rd, owing the common touch of a parish priest.

One important distinction the Catholic Church would point out is that they don't actually make someone a saint, instead they recognize a saint.