Rome ? One Pole wrote a poem. Someone else wrote an account of a possible miracle. Hundreds of others have sent e-mails – all testifying to Pope John Paul II’s saintliness in support of his beatification, the cleric spearheading the case said Wednesday.

In an interview with The Associated Press, Polish Monsignor Slawomir Oder said the Diocese of Rome has been overwhelmed by the “explosion” of correspondence it has received since the public was officially invited to write about the late pope’s virtues last month.

Many are visiting the cause’s still-in-the-works Web site, where people can jot down memories of personal meetings with John Paul, “graces” they received from him and prayer intentions. Visitors to the site are also given bank transfer information in case they want to contribute to the cause.

“The thing that surprises me is the great love that comes out in these letters – people who feel the moral need to pay a debt for what they have received from the pope,” Oder said as he leafed through a handwritten letter of poetry dedicated to the Polish-born John Paul that had just arrived from a fellow Pole.

The Vatican must confirm a miracle has occurred after the pope’s death for him to be beatified; a second miracle after beatification is needed for him to be declared a saint.

John Paul’s beatification cause officially opens Tuesday.

Pope Benedict XVI, the former Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, announced May 13 that he had waived the traditional five-year waiting period and allowed John Paul’s beatification cause to begin immediately.