Italian politician urges fast-track sainthood for slain French priest Jacques Hamel

Governor of Italy's Lombardy region has urged the Pope to fast-track the awarding of sainthood to the elderly French priest slain by Islamic State (IS) terrorists on Tuesday.

"Father Jacques Hamel, whose throat was slit so horribly, like an animal, by two Islamist terrorists in his church should immediately be made a saint," tweeted Roberto Maroni, who is Italy's former Interior Minister.

"A prayer for a martyr of the faith and request to Pope Francis: Make Father Jacques a saint straight away #padrejacquessantosubito," Maroni wrote on Facebook.

Shortly after his appeal, the hashtag, which translates as "sainthood immediately", began trending on Twitter.

84-year-old Hamel was allegedly beheaded on Tuesday by two armed men in his church in the Normandy town of Saint-Etienne-du-Rouvray, near Rouen, which was claimed by IS.

In the case of a martyr, only one miracle is needed for sainthood after beatification and a declaration by the Vatican that the person died for the faith.

The regular canonisation process is a lengthy one involving two miracles attributed to the candidate.