TWO titans of religious life in the late 20th century are being canonised—recognised as saints—at a grand ceremony in Rome this weekend. Popes John XXIII (1958-63) and John Paul II (1978-2005) were both charismatic figures who, in multiple ways, transformed the world's largest spiritual institution. Yet, whether or not this reflects reality, their images are very different. Among liberal-minded Catholics, Pope John is a particular hero: the only pontiff of modern times, saving perhaps the present one, whom they unconditionally admire. His great achievement, in the view of most Catholics, was initiating the second Vatican council of 1962-65, a deliberation which reconciled the church with the modern world and ushered in a new spirit of consultation and consensus in the governance of the church. As some liberals see things, the church's old hierarchical structure has been sabotaging the legacy of "Vatican II" ever since.
