Salerno, Italy, 3rd November 2006 (LifeSiteNews) - The Archbishop of Salerno, Gerardo Pierro has announced publicly that a medically inexplicable cure of a lung cancer victim is a miracle which will move late Pope John Paul II closer toward being declared a saint in the Catholic Church.  "There is medical proof otherwise I wouldn't have dared bring up the case. The recovery has lasted - a year and a half later, the inexplicable remains confirmed," Archbishop Pierro told the Il Mattino newspaper Thursday.

After the lung-cancer victim was diagnosed with the dreaded disease in 2005, his wife prayed for his healing asking the deceased Pope to pray for her husband's healing as well.  Catholics believe that after death the souls of the deceased, if they are in heaven, are able to hear earthly requests and aid their prayers to God for healings.

The wife related that the late Pope appeared to her in a dream reassuring her that her husband would get well.  ANSA reports that a few days after the dream doctors noted a marked improvement and within a few weeks the cancer had inexplicably disappeared.
The miracle, if counted as such by Church authorities which examine such matters, will move one of the greatest pro-life leaders of the twentieth century a step closer to being declared a saint.

The process of declaration of sainthood in the Catholic Church requires two documented and confirmed miracles to take place.  The miracles which would have to be attributable to John Paul's intervention would be seen as a testimony from God assuring that the soul of the departed is in heaven.  Should the current miracle be approved, John Paul could be beatified, or declared 'blessed', after which another miracle would be required for sainthood.

Although the Italian media reported this news yesterday, there are no reports of the news in the North American press as of this writing.