Benedict: John Paul II 'at home' with saints

updated 5:57 a.m. ET April 24, 2005

VATICAN CITY - Pope Benedict XVI said Sunday that his predecessor Pope John Paul II was “at home” among the saints in heaven, but did not call for his canonization.

After John Paul’s death on April 2, there were popular calls, as well as those from some prelates, for John Paul to be made a saint swiftly. Vatican officials have said it would be up to the new pope to speed the process and override the normal five-year waiting period for the start of the process.

Benedict, speaking during his installation homily, said that upon John Paul’s death, the faithful were able to “call upon the saints from every age — his friends, his brothers and sisters in the faith — knowing that they would form a living procession to accompany him into the next world, and into the glory of God.”

“We knew that his arrival was awaited. Now we know that he is among his own and is truly at home,” he said, as the crowd of tens of thousands broke into applause.

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