John Paul II Beatified

Residents of cities across Poland, the native country of John Paul II, celebrated the beatification of the former pope. A huge ceremony led by current Pope Benedict XVI took place in the Vatican with over 1.5 million Catholics attending along with many heads of state - including Poland's President Bronislaw Komorowski.

French nun Marie Simon-Pierre, whose claim at that John Paul II cured her of Parkinson's Disease, was also in attendance. Defining this event as in fact a miracle was the central point around the beatification of the Pope. The next step now is sainthood for the religious figure.

In Gdansk, locals watched the Vatican ceremonies as they were transmitted on huge screens across the city including at St. Mary's basilica.