Two popes to be canonized April 27

On Divine Mercy Sunday, April 27, Pope Francis will recognize the sainthood of two of his predecessors -- John XXIII and John Paul II -- in a canonization ceremony.

Pope John XXII (left) and Pope John Paul II will be canonized April 27.

Canonization, according the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops website, is "the formal process by which the Church declares a person to be a saint and worthy of veneration universally."
Catholic News Service reported that Pope Francis had been considering Dec. 8, 2013, but was concerned about the possibility that icy roads could have made it difficult for Polish pilgrims traveling by bus to Rome for the ceremony.
The other option, he said, was Divine Mercy Sunday, a celebration instituted worldwide by Pope John Paul.
Reporters on the plane taking the pope to Brazil for World Youth Day last July asked him to describe the two late popes.
Pope Francis said Blessed John was "a bit of the 'country priest,' a priest who loves each of the faithful and knows how to care for them; he did this as a bishop and as a nuncio."
He was holy, patient, had a good sense of humor and, especially by calling the Second Vatican Council, was a man of courage, Pope Francis said. "He was a man who let himself be guided by the Lord."
As for Blessed John Paul, Pope Francis told the reporters on the plane, "I think of him as 'the great missionary of the church," because he was "a man who proclaimed the Gospel everywhere."
Look for coverage of the Rockford Diocesan pilgrimage to the canonization, here, in April.
You'll also be able to follow us on Facebook at The Observer Catholic Newspaper.

--Sharon Boehlefeld 

(CNS photos)