SW News: The Holy See has announced that Pope John Paul I, who had one of the shortest pontificates in the history of the Church, will be declared Blessed on September 4 next year. The late pontiff will be beatified by Holy Father Pope Francis in the Vatican.

It was in October that the pope signed the decree authorizing the miracle attributed to the intercession of Cardinal Albino Luciani, who was elected pope on August 26, 1978. After two months, the Congregation for the Causes of the Saints officially announced that Pope John Paul I would be beatified and it was communicated to the postulator of the cause Cardinal Beniamino Stella and Bishop Renato Marangoni of Belluno-Feltre where the cause was opened on November 23, 2003.

The miracle pertains to the healing of a young girl in Buenos Aires, the Argentine capital, from severe acute inflammatory encephalopathy, which is a malignant refractory epileptic sickness. The girl had daily seizures and was in a septic state of broncho-pneumonia. Her quick healing without a medical explanation was attributed to the intercession of Cardinal Luciani.

The 263rd successor of St Peter, Pope John Paul I had a pontificate that lasted 34 days. He is the sixth pope since the 1900s for whom a cause for beatification and canonization has been introduced.

Those who have been canonized include Pius X, John XXIII, Paul VI and John Paul II. Canonization norms mandate that another miracle attributed to the intercession of the candidate is needed for the beatus or beata to be raised to the altars.