John Paul II's Miracle Move Toward Sainthood

Pope Benedict XVI has said the beatification of his late predecessor, John Paul II, can go ahead.

The globe-trotting Pope credited with contributing to the fall of communism in Eastern Europe is to be blessed in St Peter's Square on Sunday 1 May.

...It has almost become a tradition in the Roman Catholic Church to beatify and then to canonise outstanding Popes of the past. Beatification, or declaring a person "blessed", is the necessary prelude to full sainthood.

...Vatican experts, including Pope Benedict's own personal physician, have also examined the medical evidence for an allegedly miraculous cure - that of a 49-year-old French nun, Sister Marie Simon-Pierre Normand, in 2005 from Parkinson's Disease, the same malady which afflicted Pope John Paul II in his later years.

Sister Marie claims that she and her fellow nuns prayed for the intercession of Pope John Paul II after his death. Her sudden cure had no logical medical explanation and she later resumed her work as a maternity nurse, the Vatican says.

Editor's note: More than 4 million people are expected to flood Rome for this event. Given the rise in attacks against "Christians" abroad, grave concerns no doubt will be raised concerning an attack during this ceremony.

One can only imagine the outcry for global religious tolerance and interfaith unity if such an attack were to occur. Nonconforming individuals would quickly seen to be the enemies of global peace and unity.

See also: Pope Calls For Global Interfaith Peace Summit