The Costa Rican village of La Union de Tres Rios, east of the capitol San Jose.

Residents here say the late Pope John Paul II performed a miracle in May.

He cured a local woman of a brain aneurysm, they say, after her family prayed in his memory.

Now, the Vatican has concluded the late pontiff was indeed responsible for her healing, according to Italian media reports this week.

And that decision brings Pope John Paul II one step closer to sainthood, leaving people here astounded.

(SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) MORA'S NEIGHBOUR, CECILIA CHAVEZ, SAYING:

"How can it be that in this small country such as Costa Rica, in this poor small neighborhood, this miracle took place? It's amazing! There are no words to describe it."

San Jose neurosurgeon Alejandro Vargas Roman.

(SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) NEUROSURGEON ALEJANDRO VARGAS ROMAN, SAYING:

"The patient came to our hospital. The question of why it disappeared without surgical intervention is without exp