Named co-patron saint of Europe

On 1 October 1999, Pope John Paul II proclaimed Catherine of Siena as one of the co-patron saints of Europe, alongside Bridget of Sweden and Edith Stein, expanding her symbolic significance beyond Italy to the entire European continent at the close of the twentieth century.

This proclamation came during a period of significant reflection on European identity and unity, as the continent navigated the aftermath of the Cold War and moved toward greater political integration. John Paul II, himself deeply invested in articulating a vision of Europe's Christian spiritual roots, selected patrons who embodied qualities of reconciliation, courage, and cross-border engagement.

Catherine's historical role as a tireless correspondent and mediator, who wrote to popes, kings, and civic leaders across Italy and beyond in an effort to end schism and promote peace, made her a fitting symbol for a continent seeking unity after centuries of conflict. Her insistence on the return of the papacy from Avignon to Rome and her diplomatic efforts to reconcile warring Italian city-states with the Church were seen as precedents for the kind of reconciliatory leadership Europe needed.

This 1999 proclamation represented the culmination of Catherine's centuries-long journey from a local Sienese mystic to an internationally recognized symbol of unity, courage, and spiritual authority, demonstrating the continuing relevance of her fourteenth-century witness to contemporary European affairs.