Pope John Paul II whipped himself: book
Pope John Paul II whipped himself with a belt, even on vacation, and slept on the floor as acts of penitence and to bring him closer to Christian perfection, according to a book by the Polish prelate spearheading his sainthood case.
John Paul II could be beatified as early as this year, which would move the late pope a big step closer to sainthood, his former spokesman told an Italian newspaper.