Pope II to get fastest sainthood as Pontiff approves second miracle

Late Pope John Paul II will be made a saint as Pope Francis has approved a second miracle attributed to the Polish pontiff.

Earlier, Pope Benedict XVI had waived off the traditional five-year waiting period and allowed investigation into the late Pope's life and virtues to begin immediately.

The Sydney Morning Herald reports that the canonization ceremonies dates were not given but the Vatican said they were expected by the end of the year.

According to the report, under Vatican rules, two confirmed miracles are usually required for the declaration of a saint.

John Paul had already been credited with asking God to cure French nun Marie Simon-Pierre Normand of Parkinson's disease, which helped lead to his beatification in 2011.

The second miracle attributed to John Paul's intercession is the inexplicable curing of a woman from Costa Rica who prayed to him for help with her medical condition on the day of his beatification.

The Vatican said Pope John XXIII, who was called the Second Vatican Council and enacted sweeping reforms to modernize the Church, will also be made a saint.

Vatican spokesman Father Federico Lombardi said that Francis waved the customary rules which require a second miracle after beatification in the case of Pope John XXIII.