Popes John Paul II and John XXIII will be declared saints on April 27th next year.
Pope Francis announced the date during a meeting with cardinals inside the Apostolic Palace today.
Francis
announced in July that he would canonise two of the 20th century’s most
influential popes together, approving a miracle attributed to John
Paul’s intercession and bending Vatican rules by deciding that John XXIII did not need one.
Analysts have said the decision to canonise
them together was aimed at unifying the church since each has his own
admirers and critics.
In July, Francis approved a
second miracle attributed to John Paul, opening the way to the fastest
canonisation in modern times.
He also approved
sainthood for John, who reigned from 1958 to 1963 and who oversaw
sweeping reforms to modernise the Church, even though he has only been
credited with one miracle since his death.
Francis
is clearly a fan of both: on the anniversary of John Paul’s death this
year, he prayed at the tombs of both men — an indication that he sees a
great personal and spiritual continuity in them.