Popes John XXIII and John Paul II to be declared saints in April

Popes John XXIII and John Paul II will be declared saints in April, the Vatican said Monday.

The announcement came after Pope Francis met with cardinals to discuss the planned canonizations of two of his predecessors. The ceremony will take place on April 27.

It will be the first time two popes will be canonized at the same time.

Why does a pope become a saint?

To be named a saint involves a series of steps, but the qualifications are straightforward, according to the veteran Vatican analyst John Allen.

"You put a holy life and two miracles together, according to the Catholic system, you've got a saint," he said.

The calls to canonize John Paul II began even before he had been buried. People attending his funeral in 2005 held banners saying "Santo Subito," short for "make him a saint now."

Their call was heard.

Bypassing the normal five-year waiting period, Pope Benedict XVI set in motion the process to canonize his predecessor.

John Paul is said to have miraculously cured Sister Marie Simon-Pierre, a French nun stricken by Parkinson's disease, several months after his death.