John Paul: A New Saint For Krakow?
Gianni Alemmano, the mayor of Rome, expressed in Cracow last week that the late Pope John Paul II may well be beatified by 2010 "at the latest."
Beatification is the penultimate step in the process of canonisation that leads to full-fledged sainthood.
Normally, the process takes decades, but in the case of the former Archbishop of Cracow, matters are moving at an unprecedented pace.
In Poland, the stature of Pope John Paul II is already comparable with that of a saint. Nevertheless, he is remembered affectionately as a decidedly approachable and open archbishop, who always had time for his flock. He was known as 'Uncle' to many Cracovians.