Catholic church to get one more holy man

Beatification is a recognition accorded by the Catholic church to a dead person's ascension to Heaven and capacity to intercede on behalf of individuals who pray in his or her name (intercession of saints). Beatification is the third of the four steps in the canonization process. A person who is beatified is given the title "Blessed".

Pope Benedict XVI certified that his predecessor had met the requirements of beatification.

Vatican said John Paul had performed a miracle after his death, a prerequisite for beatification. Sister Marie Simon-Pierre Normand, who has been diagnosed with Parkinson's disease, said she was healed of her sufferings after praying to John Paul shortly after he died.

Doctors appointed by the church confirmed that there was no medical explanation for the healing of the nun.

In May 2005, a month after his death, Pope Benedict put John Paul on the fast track by waiving Church rules that typically entails a five-year waiting period after a pope's death and before the procedure that leads to sainthood can start.

On December 19, 2009, John Paul II was proclaimed "Venerable" by his papal successor Pope Benedict XVI.

The Venerable Pope John Paul II, born Karol Józef Wojtyla (18 May 1920 - 2 April 2005), reigned as Supreme Pontiff of the Roman Catholic church and sovereign of Vatican city from October 16, 1978 until his death on April 2, 2005.

His was the second-longest documented pontificate; only Pope Pius IX served longer. He has been the only Slavic or Polish Pope to date, and was the first non-Italian Pope since Dutch Pope Adrian VI in 1522.

John Paul II has been acclaimed as one of the most influential leaders of the 20th century. It is widely held that he was instrumental in ending Communism in his native Poland and eventually all of Europe as well as significantly improving the Catholic church's relations with Judaism, Islam, the Eastern orthodox church and the Anglican Communion.

‘Father forgive him’

Pope John Paul practised what he preached. He walked in the foot prints of Jesus Christ with love, service, forgiveness.

Wednesday, May 13, 1981: Precisely at 5.17 pm, John Paul was warmly greeting and blessing some 30,000 pilgrims in St Peter’s Square for the weekly papal audience. While the crowd continued to reach out excitedly to touch the Pope, two shots rang out from a nine caliber Browning, hitting the Pope in the abdomen.

Sunday, May 17: Vatican Radio transmitted to the crowd waiting in St Peter's Square a message recorded by the Pope. Speaking slowly, his voice clearly weakened, he said: "Pray for the brother who shot me and whom I have sincerely pardoned. United to Christ, priest and victim, I offer my sufferings for the church and for the world."

December 27, 1983: Pope visited the victim - Mehmet  Ali Agca in jail and talked to him for 20 minutes.

Pope John Paul II was known as the Pope of forgiveness not only because he forgave Ali but he asked the forgiveness of the world for all the wrong doings of the church in the past 20 centuries.

He was also known as the Angel of peace for he stressed on global peace in all his messages and he worked towards it.

Missionary in Mangalore

He was also one of the most-travelled world leaders in history, visiting 129 countries during his pontificate, and hence known as the Missionary Pope.

His one such visit was to India and especially to Mangalore on February 6, 1986. The silver jubilee of his visit was celebrated this year.

He is the only Pope to visit Mangalore.