Rome
Pope Benedict tossed millennia of Catholic tradition aside this week to begin beatifying Pope John Paul II, who died just six weeks ago. Traditionally, a person must be dead for at least five years before beatification, the first step toward sainthood, can begin. Pope John Paul II himself first broke that tradition, when he fast-tracked Mother Teresa’s beatification, beginning just a year after her death in 1997. It will still be some years before John Paul II is declared a saint. For beatification, the Vatican must attribute one miracle to the candidate; sainthood requires a second miracle.
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
-
What to know before filing your own taxes for the first timethe explainer Tackle this financial milestone with confidence
-
The biggest box office flops of the 21st centuryin depth Unnecessary remakes and turgid, expensive CGI-fests highlight this list of these most notorious box-office losers
-
What are the best investments for beginners?The Explainer Stocks and ETFs and bonds, oh my
