John Paul II officially declared a saint
Pope Francis officially canonized two of his predecessors, John XXIII and John Paul II during a mass held in St. Peter’s Square in Rome on Sunday. Thousands of Poles traveled to Rome to take part in the celebration.
John Paul II, born Karol Wojtyła, was a Polish priest and bishop before being elected pope in 1978. He is credited for his role in bringing down communist rule in the former Soviet bloc. During his funeral in 2005 many of the mourners demanded he be declared a saint.
