Rome Reports March 7, 2018

Pope Francis to canonise Paul VI in October

Pope Paul VI will be named a saint. Pope Francis has confirmed a miracle presented to him as proof. 

The miracle has much to do with Paul VI's main encyclical, “Humanae Vitae,” on the dignity of human life and marital love.

It involves the cure of an Italian infant when she was still in her mother's womb. Doctors diagnosed her with an incurable disease, but she was born healthy. 

Paul VI was born in 1897 and died in 1978. During his 15 years as pope, he made surprising gestures. 

For example, he renounced the papal tiara, sold it and gave the proceeds to Mother Teresa. A group of American Catholics bought the tiara for one million dollars. Today, it's housed in the Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington, D.C.

Paul VI was also the first traveling pope. He visited the United States, Jordan, Iran, the Philippines, Hong Kong, Colombia and Portugal.

He concluded the Second Vatican Council and also met with the head of the Orthodox Church following a thousand years of retaliatory excommunications by predecessors. 

According to Cardinal Pietro Parolin, Pope Francis will canonize Paul VI during the Synod of Bishops in October.