AKIPRESS.COM - Vatican is turning to social media to reach out to the millions of pilgrims expected to attend the first double canonization in the history of the Catholic Church, The Local reported.

Thus, Rome city officials expect up to five million people to attend the ceremony officially making John Paul II, who led the Catholic Church from 1978-2005, and John XXIII, who was pope from 1958-1963, into saints.

Spokesman of the Holy See, Father Federico Lombardi, did not rule out that the current Pope Benedict XVI would attend the ceremony on April 27 in St Peter's Square in person.

The double canonization will be the first in the Vatican's history and is expected to appeal to both wings of the Church.

John Paul II, the first non-Italian pope for more than 400 years, was a favorite of conservative Catholics and his canonization will be one of the fastest in recent history.

Hundreds of thousands of pilgrims from various European countries are expected to attend, especially from his native Poland, and many hotels in Rome are already booked out.

John XXIII is also widely admired by the Church's progressive wing for calling the Second Vatican Council that transformed the Church.

A “white night of prayer” will be held in seven languages in eleven churches the night before the ceremony.