A process to decide whether the murdered French priest Fr Jacques Hamel should be made a saint has been officially opened.
The procedure - known as the canonisation Cause - concerning Fr Jacques Hamel has been opened by the Diocese of Rouen, according to the French newspaper La Croix.
The 86 year old was killed on 26th July 2016 when two 19 year old men stormed his church in Saint-Étienne-du-Rouvray, Normandy and slit his throat.
The pair, Adel Kermirche and Abdel Malik Petitjean, were later shot dead by police after the attack which Islamic State claimed responsibility for.
Canonisation candidates must usually have been dead for at least five years before a Cause can start, however, Pope Francis ruled last October that an exception should be made for Fr Hamel.
The process of becoming a saint usually involves the attribution of two miracles to a candidate and includes different stages.
A candidate must have conferred upon them the titles of 'servant of God', 'venerable' and 'blessed' before being made a saint.
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