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| Pope Francis I |
Pope
Francis on Friday cleared two of the 20th century's most influential popes to
become saints, approving a miracle needed to canonize Pope John Paul II and
waiving Vatican rules to honor Pope John XXIII.
In a
major demonstration of his papal authority, Francis decided that John XXIII
could be declared a saint even though the Vatican hasn't confirmed a second
miracle attributed to his intercession. The Vatican said Francis had the power
to dispense with such requirements and proceed with only one confirmed miracle
to his name.
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| Pope John Paul II |
The
ceremony is expected before the end of the year. The date of Dec. 8 has been
floated as one possibility, given it's the feast of the Immaculate Conception,
a major feast day for the church. Polish prelates continue to press for
October, to mark the 35th anniversary of the Polish-born John Paul's election,
but Vatican officials have suggested that's too soon to organize such a massive
event.
The
announcement came on a remarkable day melding papacies past and present: It
opened with Francis and Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI attending their first
Vatican ceremony together, sitting side-by-side on matching papal chairs for
the unveiling of a statue in the Vatican gardens. It continued with the
publication of Francis' first encyclical, a meditation on faith that was
largely written by Benedict before he retired. And it climaxed with Francis'
decision to canonize two other predecessors.
Each
event, historic on its own, would have captured headlines. But the canonization
announcement capped them all, reflecting the priorities of this unique
pontificate that has already broken so many rules, from Francis' decision to
shun papal vestments to his housing arrangements, living in the Vatican hotel
rather than the stuffy Apostolic Palace.
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| Pope John XXIII |
To
anyone who has been paying attention, Francis' decision to canonize John Paul
and John XXIII should come as no surprise: The Jesuit was made a cardinal by
John Paul and is very much a pope of the Second Vatican Council, the
ground-breaking church meetings that brought the Catholic Church into the
modern world. John XXIII opened Vatican II a year before his death in 1963.
"Two different popes, very important to the
church will be announced saint together - it's a beautiful gesture," said
the Rev. Jozef Kloch, spokesman for Poland's Catholic bishops, who like most
Poles was overjoyed by the news of John Paul's impending canonization but
impatient to know the date.
Francis
will set the date at an upcoming meeting of cardinals.
Sources: Associated Press, Huffington Post, Yahoo! News
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