Pope JohnPaul II declared saint

Less than 10 years after his death, the Vatican announced on Friday its plans to canonize the late Pope John Paul II.

Pope Francis approved a second miracle attributed to the late pontiff, clearing the way for sainthood.

Karol Wojtyla – Pope John Paul II’s given name – was born in Poland in 1920. He was elected to the pontificate in 1978, becoming the first non-Italian pope in 400 years. During his time as leader of the Roman Catholic Church until 2005, the Polish-born pope enjoyed international popularity for his likeability and charisma.

His opposition to communism during the Cold War has been credited as a crucial factor in the formation of the Solidarity labor movement in 1980, which gradually helped erode Communist power in Eastern Europe by the end of the decade.

The Church beatified Pope John Paul II in 2011 after finding evidence of what they said was the first credible miracle resulting from his intercession.

Surprise dual canonization

The Vatican also announced on Friday that Pope John XXIII, who had led the Church from 1958-1963 and had overseen the Second Vatican Council, would also be made saint. The pope reportedly approved the second canonization even though Vatican officials had not brought forth evidence of a second miracle, the general requirement for sainthood.