January 21, 2021
7:09 PM ET
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Pope Francis may soon declare that a pro-life French doctor who discovered the genetic basis of Down Syndrome is a saint.
The pope approved Dr. Jerome Lejeune’s “heroic virtues” Thursday, the Associated Press reported, indicating that Lejeune is now considered “venerable” by the Catholic Church.
Before he can be sainted he must be beatified, meaning the Vatican must confirm that a miracle took place through his intercession. The Vatican must then confirm a second miracle occurred through his intercession for him to be sainted.
Born June 13, 1926, in Montrouge, France, Lejeune discovered the existence of an extra chromosome while studying a child’s chromosomes in 1958, according to the Catholic News Agency.