Miracle proof sought in Pope's road to sainthood

The process to beatify Pope John Paul II, the first step towards possible sainthood, has begun with an edict inviting testimony from witnesses about his virtues – and proof of a miracle.

The edict was published over the weekend, two weeks after Pope Benedict XVI announced he was lifting a five-year waiting period for the start of the process towards beatification, the last formal step before the late pontiff could be made a saint.

The Pope’s vicar for Rome, Cardinal Camillo Ruini, signed the edict and said it came in response to what he called “sensational” calls for John Paul to be declared a saint after his death on April 2.

Ruini said the edict, which officially launches the exhaustive investigation needed for a beatification cause, would be displayed on the doors of the headquarters of the diocese of Rome and Krakow, Poland, for two months.

It will take years for the Vatican to gather all of the writings of Polish-born John Paul and hear from witnesses testifying about his virtues. It must then certify a miracle attributed to his intercession after his death for him to be beatified. A second miracle is needed for him to be made a saint, following beatification.

In the edict, Ruini said he was inviting the general public to contact the diocesan tribunal of the Vicariate of Rome to offer anything – “favourable or contrary to the saintly fame of the servant of God.”

It also asked anyone with any of his writings to submit them to the tribunal - the originals or authenticated copies.

“Let us remember that by writings we don’t just mean published works, which have already been gathered, but also manuscripts, diaries, letters and every other private writings of the servant of God,” the edict said.

Some of John Paul’s private papers, however, will be unavailable. In one of the few instructions left in his will, John Paul asked that his personal notes be burned.

The edict praised John Paul, who it said enjoyed “saintly fame” in life as in death. It called him a man with an “intense life of prayer”, a tireless pastor and courageous witness to the Gospel.

The edict was issued on May 18 – what would have been John Paul’s 85th birthday – and was published over the weekend in the Vatican newspaper L’Osservatore Romano, as well as in Rome's diocesan magazine and the “Avvenire” daily of the Italian bishop’s conference.

Pope Benedict XVI announced on May 13 that he had decided to put John Paul on an unprecedented fast track for possible sainthood. While Mother Teresa was put on a similar fast-track, her cause did not begin until a year after her death, whereas the process began six weeks after John Paul died.

During John Paul’s April 8 funeral, mourners interrupted the Mass by chanting “Santo! Santo!” and carried banners exclaiming “Santo Subito!” or “Sainthood Immediately!”.