VATICAN (CWNews.com) -- The Vatican has confirmed that Popes Pius IX and John XXIII will be beatified on September 3.

    The February 9 edition of L'Osservatore Romano confirmed the widespread reports that the two popes will be beatified at a ceremony in the Vatican on that September date.

    The confirmation was contained in a homily delivered by Archbishop Jose Saraiva Martins, the prefect of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints, and delivered on the 122th anniversary of the death of Pope Pius IX. The homily was reprinted in the official Vatican newspaper, after being delivered during a Mass in the basilica of St. Lawrence, where Pius IX is buried.

    Archbishop Martins mentioned in his homily that Pope John XXIII had great admiration for Pope Pius IX, and indeed had looked forward to his predecessor's beatification.