John Paul II 'set for sainthood' with second miracle

John Paul II could be declared a saint this year after a Vatican committee approved a second miracle attributed to the Polish pope's intercession.

The Congregation for the Causes of Saints ruled an "inexplicable recovery" on 1 May 2011 was due to the late Pope's intercession, Ansa reported.

Earlier that same day he had been beatified after a first miracle was attributed to his intervention.
Pope Francis must now give his approval before a canonisation date is set.
Canonisation is the final step in the official process that declares a deceased person to be a saint.
Speedy process At a plenary meeting of the Congregation on Tuesday, cardinals and bishops mooted a canonisation ceremony taking place in December, sources told Ansa.

The Polish pope reformed the sainthood process in 1983

One possible date would be 8 December, on which Catholics celebrate the feast of the Immaculate Conception, which this year falls on a Sunday.
John Paul II could be canonised at the same time as John XXIII, Vatican sources suggested. Venerated by Catholics as "the good pope", John XXIII was elected in 1958 and convened the Second Vatican Council in 1962, but died the following year before it was finished.
Canonisation requires the attribution of one further miracle to the intercession of the candidate after they have been beatified.
The Vatican has not revealed details about the second miracle in John Paul II's case.