Popes to be made saints in April

Popes John XXIII and John Paul II will be declared saints at a ceremony on Apr 27 that might see two living popes honouring two dead ones.

The Vatican said retired Pope Benedict XVI might join Pope Francis in the saint-making ceremony for their predecessors, noting there was no reason why Benedict should have to watch the ceremony on TV.

“There’s no reason, either doctrinal or institutional, that he couldn’t participate in a public ceremony,” the Vatican spokesman, the Rev Federico Lombardi said.