Subito santo: Blessed John Paul II is to be declared a saint after Pope Francis signed a decree stating that a second miraculous healing had occurred through the intercession of the Polish pope, writes Simon Caldwell.

The Pope also took the unusual step of inviting cardinals to vote on whether the canonisation of Blessed John XXIII should take place in the absence of a second miracle.

The second miracle that allowed Blessed John Paul to be canonised little more than eight years after his death in April 2005 involved the medically inexplicable healing of a Costa Rican woman, Floribeth Mora Diaz (above), who suffered from a brain aneurysm.

The Vatican confirmed the news when it published a list of decrees relating to a total of 12 causes for canonisation. The statement concluded: "The Supreme Pontiff approved the favourable votes of the ordinary session of the cardinal and bishop fathers regarding the canonisation of Blessed John XXIII . . . and has decided to convoke a consistory that will also involve the canonisation of Blessed John Paul II"