New Pope Benedict XVI has initiated the process to beatify Pope John Paul II. The news from the Vatican seems to indicate that this will be the first step to bringing the late Pope to sainthood.

Pope Benedict, leader of more than a billion Roman Catholics worldwide said to priests at Rome’s Basilica, "The cause for the beautification of John Paul II is open."

The traditional rule that states that five years must pass after the person’s death before a Church can begin to make a saint of them, has been waived by the Pope.

John Paul II died on 2nd April 2005, and instantly pilgrims from all over the world expressed their love for him and called for him to be made a saint.

The Pope’s announcement, which was read out in Latin, was a hugely popular decision among priests attending the meeting as a huge standing ovation was given. The statement comes on the anniversary of the assassination attempt on John Paul II in 1981, when a Turkish man shot him in St Peter’s Square.

Following the announcement, information will now be collected on all of John Paul II’s life and teachings. The collection will include private notes and letters from the period before he became Pope, and all will be examined for orthodoxy to ensure that he held no heretical opinions or misled views.

After this, a commission will be appointed, consisting of historians, who will gather all the documents and then a panel of theologians, cardinals and bishops will examine the texts.

A two-thirds majority is required to agree on John Paul II being beatified and if this is found then Pope Benedict XVI will be asked to give his authoritative approval to the decision.

However, there remains more things to be done. An expert on the Catholic Church, Michael Walsh reported to the BBC that for the process to be completed the Vatican authorities will have to establish that a miracle was performed by John Paul II.

Walsh said, "They have to prove someone has been miraculously healed... by his intercession, by praying to John Paul II, he or she has recovered from cancer or something of that sort."

The pope read a letter in which Cardinal Jose Saraiva Martins announced that Pope Benedict XVI himself had authorised the commencement of John Paul’s path to sainthood.

"And now I have a very joyous piece of news for you," Benedict said before making the announcement.

The Pope then joined the other bishops to stand and applause the major tribute to his predecessor.