Archbishop Marek Jêdraszewski of Krakow announced on March 11 that having obtained the approval of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints, the archdiocese has opened beatification processes for the parents of Saint John Paul II.

The Archdiocese of Krakow publicly made the announcement on March 11, setting in motion the beatification causes of John Paul II’s father, Karol Wojtyla, and mother, Emilia nee Kaczorowska.

Edicts signed by Archbishop Jêdraszewski opening the cause bear the date on March 2.

The faithful are being asked to provide the Krakow curia with any documents, letters, or messages regarding Karol and Emilia by May 7. The Polish bishops had given a positive opinion to the opening of the cause in October 2019.

Karol, a Polish Army lieutenant, and Emilia, a school teacher, were married in Krakow on Feb. 10, 1906. The Catholic couple gave birth to three children: Edmund in 1906; Olga, who died shortly after her birth; and Karol Junior in 1920.

The family was known to be faithful Catholics and rejected the increasing anti-Semitism of the time.

“The immediate family strongly influenced spiritual and intellectual development of the future Pope,” the bishops’ conference said.