Pope John XXIII
Meet the women behind the miracles credited to John Paul II and John XXIII
By Josephine McKenna — April 24, 2014
VATICAN CITY (RNS) A Costa Rican mother of four says she was healed of an inoperable brain aneurysm after praying to Pope John Paul II and receiving a message of "don't be afraid."
FACT BOX: Everything you need to know about popes and saints
By David Gibson — April 23, 2014
(RNS) How many popes have been made saints? What's the "devil's advocate"? Find out in this drive-by tour of the process of making saints.
ANALYSIS: Does being pope give you an inside track to sainthood?
By David Gibson — April 23, 2014
(RNS) The shift to make popes into saints could backfire if the public assumes that every pontificate comes with an automatic -- or at least expected -- halo.
The legacies of John Paul II and John XXIII
By Amanda Murphy — April 22, 2014
(RNS) Religion News Service asked experts, biographers and theologians to assess the two popes who will be canonized on Sunday.
John Paul II and John XXIII: A rush to sainthood?
By Josephine McKenna — April 22, 2014
VATICAN CITY (RNS) The fast-track canonization for Pope John Paul II, and the bend-the-rules process for Pope John XXIII, have raised questions about a rush to sainthood for the two most influential popes of the 20th century.
Sainthood rites for John Paul II, John XXIII to be beamed around the world
By Josephine McKenna — April 1, 2014
VATICAN CITY (RNS) For the first time, viewers will be able to watch the historic canonizations of Pope John Paul II and John XXIII live in 3-D movie theaters in 20 countries across North and South America and Europe.
Benedict XVI on John Paul II: I always knew he was a saint
By Eric J. Lyman — March 7, 2014
ROME (RNS) "The reality that John Paul II was a saint became increasingly apparent to me in the years I worked together with him," Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI said.
Alleged miracle puts Pope Paul VI one step closer to sainthood
By Eric J. Lyman — December 13, 2013
ROME (RNS) Paul VI was a pivotal pope for the Roman Catholic Church, even as he is sometimes overshadowed by the more charismatic papacies of John XXIII and John Paul II.
Pope Francis sneaks out of the Vatican? Maybe not, but he wouldn’t be the first
By David Gibson — December 3, 2013
(RNS) Escaping the “gilded cage” of the papal apartments has been a dream of many popes who fear losing touch with ordinary life. Here are five examples, mostly true, of other Catholic churchmen who have gone off the grid.
Record crowds expected for John Paul II, John XXIII canonizations
By Eric J. Lyman — October 22, 2013
ROME (RNS) Crowd estimates were made Tuesday for next year's canonization of the man who will be known as St. Pope John Paul II.
Pope to canonize John Paul II and John XXIII in April
By Eric J. Lyman — September 30, 2013
ROME (RNS) Popes John Paul II and John XXIII will be formally declared saints on April 27, 2014 -- a bit of ticket-balancing by Pope Francis, who may be hoping to heal splits in the church by pairing the canonization of a pope who is a hero to the left and one who is a hero to the right.
Are miracles really needed to become a saint?
By Alessandro Speciale — July 15, 2013
VATICAN CITY (RNS) With a rare, if not unprecedented, move, Francis has rekindled a years-old debate in Catholic circles, with some asking whether miracles are really needed for sainthood anymore.
Pope Francis proclaims John Paul II, John XXIII as new saints
By Alessandro Speciale — July 5, 2013
VATICAN CITY (RNS) Pope Francis waived the requirement for a second miracle credited to Pope John XXIII's intercession, with the Vatican's spokesman saying that "no one doubts his virtues."
What’s in a name? For a new pope, quite a bit
By Caleb K. Bell — March 12, 2013
(RNS) No one knows what name the next pope will pick. But choosing a new moniker is a decision that's tied up in history, tradition and more than a little symbolic value.
A new pope, a new name: Here’s some popular picks to choose from
By Caleb K. Bell — February 28, 2013
One of the first acts of the new pope will be to chose a new name. Here's a list of the most popular (and most unique) papal names to help him get started.
