Pope Benedict XVI. Photo by Sergey Kozhukhov/Wikipedia

The Pope is to waive his own rules so he can preside in person over the beatification of Cardinal John Henry Newman during the papal visit to Britain next year, the Daily Mail reports.

In an unprecedented decision, Benedict XVI will take charge of the ceremony which will confer the title “Blessed” on the Victorian convert from Anglicanism.

The Pope has previously insisted that all beatifications – the last step before sainthood – are carried out by a Vatican official in the diocese in which the candidate died, which in Newman’s case is Birmingham. But because the Pope has such a strong devotion to Cardinal Newman and his theological writings he has decided to beatify the cardinal himself.

With one rule already set aside, Vatican officials may now agree to the ceremony being held in London, the city of Newman’s birth, rather than Birmingham, say Roman Catholic sources. This would enable the beatification to take place at Westminster Cathedral – or even before a congregation of 80,000 in Wembley stadium.

Vatican sources say the Pope will preside over the ceremony in September.

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