PART 17: Antichrists revealed – Delibrate rebellion of the antichrist towards Christ

Theologians advising the Congregation for the Causes of Saints voiced their approval to this miracle on 13 December 2017 and have this direction on to the cardinal and bishop members of the C.C.S. who must vote on the cause also before taking it to Pope Francis for his approval. Brescian media reported the canonization could take place in October 2018 to coincide with the synod on the youth.[22] The cardinal and bishop members of the C.C.S. issued their unanimous approval to this miracle in their meeting held on 6 February 2018; La Stampa reported that the canonization could be celebrated during the synod on the youth with a probable date of 21 October.[23] Pope Francis formally approved a second miracle needed for canonization in a meeting with Roman priests on 14 February 2018 and stated that Paul VI’s canonization would take place sometime in 2018.[24] The official confirmation came when Pope Francis signed a decree approving the miracle on 6 March 2018; the formal announcement of this confirmation was made in a Holy See press bulletin at noon on 7 March 2018.[25]

Paul VI was canonized as a saint on 14 October 2018

Speeding up sainthood

Most of the Catholic Church’s saints or blessed people are honoured decades, if not centuries, after their deaths. Traditionally, there is a mandatory five-year waiting period before formal evaluation of a candidate for beatification can begin.

View this interactive content on CNN.com

Mother Teresa’s devotees began pressing the Vatican soon after her death to speed up the nun’s sainthood cause, saying her holiness was clear to many around the world. Pope John Paul II granted the special dispensation in 1999, and the procedure began.

The pope waived the waiting period in part, some believe, because of her fame and reputation.

John Paul II further paved the way for her beatification in 2002, when he approved a miracle attributed to Mother Teresa after her death.

The approved miracle involved Monica Basra, a 30-year-old Kolkata woman who said praying to the nun cured a stomach tumour. The Vatican committee said in October 2002 that it could find no “scientific explanation” for the woman’s recovery.