JPII the great, is that official?

[cheddarsox]

I often see people here refer to John Paul II as the great, some people even have it in their signatures. Is that an official title, or is that something added to show your personal respect.

I know some saints are also knows as the great etc. Again, is that just tradition (small t) or does it have some other official church meaning?

Thank you,

cheddar

 

[jimmy]

cheddarsox:

I often see people here refer to John Paul II as the great, some people even have it in their signatures. Is that an official title, or is that something added to show your personal respect.

I know some saints are also knows as the great etc. Again, is that just tradition (small t) or does it have some other official church meaning?

Thank you,

cheddar

It is just individual peoples personal respect and love for the recent pope. There are only two popes who have been called great in history, Gregory the Great and Leo the Great.

It’s basically a tradition. It is not an official declaration, it is just how they become known.