The Vatican to make Pope John Paul II a saint

The Vatican says Pope John Paul II is to become a saint. Pope Francis cleared the way for his canonization, expected to happen later this year, after a second miracle was attributed to the late pontiff's intervention. The Polish-born pope led the Roman Catholic Church from 1978 until his death in 2005. A precise date for his canonization will be set by a meeting of cardinals, the Vatican said. A Costa Rican woman reportedly recovered from serious brain damage, and the congregation concluded that the only explanation for her recovery was the fact that her family had prayed for the late pope's intercession. The first miracle attributed by the church to him was the apparent curing of a 49-year old French nun who had Parkinson's disease. She was said to have prayed for the intercession of Pope John Paul II after his death, and was suddenly cured.