Before 1.5 million John Paul II is beatified

VATICAN CITY — The late Pope John Paul moved a major step closer to sainthood on Sunday at a joyous ceremony that drew more than 1.5 million people, the largest crowd in Rome since his funeral six years ago.

"From now on Pope John Paul shall be called 'blessed,'" Pope Benedict, wearing resplendent white and gold vestments, solemnly proclaimed in Latin, establishing that his predecessor's feast day would be October 22, the day of the inauguration of John Paul's history-making pontificate in 1978.

To the cheers of the huge crowd, a tapestry showing a smiling John Paul was unveiled seconds after Benedict read the proclamation.

St Peter's Square was jam-packed and the crowd stretched as far back as the Tiber River, more than half 550 yards away. The throng of devotees, many carrying national flags and singing songs, had moved toward the Vatican area from all directions from before dawn to get a good spot for the Mass.
Many camped out during the night in the square, which was bedecked with posters of the late pope and one of his most famous sayings, "Do not be afraid!"

In his homily, Benedict noted that the late Pope, whom he praised as having had "the strength of a titan" and who gave millions of people "the strength to believe", had blessed crowds thousands of times from his window overlooking the same square.

"Bless us now," Benedict said.

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Pope John Paul II to be beatified in May

VATICAN CITY — Pope Benedict XVI moved his beloved predecessor one step closer to sainthood on Friday, confirming a miracle by John Paul II and setting May 1, the first Sunday after Easter, as the date of his beatification.

Sainthood would follow after the confirmation of one more miracle.

Thousands are expected to attend the beatification ceremony. Benedict is expected to celebrate the Mass himself, a much-needed bright spot in his papacy, which in recent months has been weathering a sex abuse scandal in Europe and violence against Christians in the Middle East.

Wildly popular, John Paul was seen as a man of his time, a Pole who marshaled the Catholic Church’s energies to help end the cold war. But he was also criticized for how he handled a sex abuse crisis that burgeoned in the United States as early as the 1980s.

At John Paul’s funeral in April 2005, the faithful filled Saint Peter’s Square crying “santo subito,” or “sainthood now.” Benedict honored their wishes, putting John Paul on a fast-track to sainthood, waiving the traditional five-year waiting period for the process to begin, but insisting on a thorough investigation into his life.

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What's wrong with this picture?

Hat tip to Ken over at Hallowed Ground.

Yes. That's an Orthodox bishop in a Romanian Orthodox Church.

For the record, I have a rather high opinion of the late Pope. I am not unaware that he is widely regarded as a saint within the Roman Church. He may well be a saint. I don't decide those things. But I do know one thing. Neither he nor George H. W. Bush (a true gentleman and a better than average president), nor Mikhail Gorbachev were or are Orthodox. Two of the three depicted in iconography are still alive and one is I believe an avowed atheist!

I am sorry if this is seen as lacking in the appropriate ecumenical spirit. I really don't dislike any of the men depicted. But commemorating in a church, and in iconography, non-Orthodox persons is a no-no. The priest apparently felt that these men deserved to be commemorated for their contributions in bringing down Communism. Again this is without doubt worthy of honor. But that doesn't make you an Orthodox saint. This is frankly more than a little scandalous. I wonder if the bishop is the same fellow who recently got in trouble for communing at a uniate Mass?

Update: See the comments for Fr. Andrew's explanation of this.