Benedict XVI: I knew during his life that Pope John Paul II was a saint.

Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI gave a rare interview this week in which he discussed the upcoming canonization of Blessed Pope John Paul II.

“In the years i which I collaborated with him, it was ever clearer to me that John Paul II was a saint,” he said.

“John Paul II did not ask for applause nor did he look around worried about how his decisions were going to be received. He acted based on his faith and his convictions, and he was also wiling to take hits. The courage for truth is, in my view, a primary measure of holiness.

“My memory of John Paul II is filled with gratitude. I couldn’t and shouldn’t try to imitate him, but I have tried to carry forward his legacy and his work the best that I could,” the Pope Emeritus said.

Blessed John Paul II and Blessed John XXIII will be canonized this Sunday.

From Catholic New Agency:

Rome, Italy, Apr 23, 2014 / 12:47 pm (CNA).- In a rare interview, Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI recalled his close friendship with Blessed John Paul II, saying that the pontiff’s sanctity and deep spirituality were apparent during his life.

“In the years in which I collaborated with him, it was ever clearer to me that John Paul II was a saint,” said Benedict XVI during an interview with Polish journalist Wlodzimierz Redzioch, which was published April 20 in the Spanish newspaper “La Razon.”

“Naturally, his intense relationship with God, being immersed in communion with the Lord, needs to be taken into account above all,” the former Pope said of his predecessor.

Benedict XVI, who served under Pope John Paul II as prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, said the Polish pontiff courageously “embraced his task in a truly difficult time.”