Pope sets French priest murdered by IS on path to sainthood

A French priest murdered by Islamic extremists in his Normandy church is to become a saint, reports Sky News.

Father Jacques Hamel, who was in his 80s, was killed during a morning mass at the Catholic church in Saint-Etienne-du-Rouvray in July.

At a service to reopen the church to parishioners for the time since the attack, it was announced Pope Francis had put Father Hamel on a fast track to possible sainthood.

Archbishop of Rouen Dominique Lebrun, who presided over a special ceremony to restore the sacred nature of the church, said: "Pope Francis has waived the five-year delay before a sainthood process can begin."

For someone to become a saint usually a miracle needs to have been declared but that can be waived if there is evidence that the individual is a martyr.

Read more of this report from Sky News.