Late Pope Paul VI to Become a Saint This Year According to Pope Francis
The late papal Giovanni Battista Enrico Antonio Maria Montini will be canonized this year, according to Pope Francis last week.
The pope last week during the yearly Lenten meeting with the priests of Rome confirmed the scheduled canonization. "Paul VI will be a saint this year," the pope said during the meeting at the Lateran Basilica as reported by the Vatican News. In his homily during the mass for the Extraordinary Synod on the Family, Pope Francis remembered his predecessor as a "great pope" and a "tireless apostle for his "humble and prophetic witness of love for Christ and his Church."
According to reports, the Congregation for the Causes of Saints has already approved the second miracle needed for the canonization of Pope Paul VI. The said miracle is of the healing of an unborn child during the mother's 5th month of pregnancy. The mother was said to be sick, which would put her and the child's life at risk. Despite being advised to undergo abortion, the mother instead prayed to Pope Paul VI at the Shrine of Holy Mary of Grace in the town of Brescia, a few days after his beatification in 2014. The baby was born healthy and remains in good shape today.
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There are still no exact release date announcements from the pope or the Vatican for Pope Paul VI's canonization. Soon, Pope Paul VI will join dozens of previous popes as saints including St. John XXIII and St. John Paul II. Pope Paul VI will be the third pope to be made saint by Pope Francis after he became pope back on Mar. 13, 2013.
Pope Paul VI died at the age of 80 on Aug. 6, 1978. He became pope of the Catholic Church on June 21, 1963 until the day of his death in Castel Gandolfo, Italy. He was the predecessor of John XXIII who was canonized back on Apr. 27, 2014, and was followed by Pope John Paul I. Pope Paul VI back on Sept. 14, 1965 established the Synod of bishops to serve as an advisory for the pope.
