At 2:37 EST, Pope John Paul II died in his apartment in Rome. The Pontiff had battled several illnesses and infections since December before passing early this afternoon.
Pope John Paul II was a pope that many claimed to be "of the people". Evidence of this is seen by his multiple travels throughout the world during his 26 year papacy. Logging more flight hours and visiting more countries than any previous pope in history, Pope John Paul II worked hard throughout his life to bring the papacy to the people.
Pope John Paul II was bitterly critizied by bishops and cardinals around the world for his stances on traditional Catholic teachings in the face of changing times. While under fire, the Pope always remained faithful to the Catholic church's teachings on such topics as abortion, marrige, homosexuality, and the right to life of every human being.
Pope John Paul II was a great example of leading the good Christian life. Shortly after being shot, Pope John Paul II met with the person who shot him and granted him forgiveness when asked for it. His writings and teachings have always had a way of connecting the message to the people for which it was intended. He always considered himself a servant to the people of the church, first in his days as a priest in Poland, later as a bishop, and finally as the pope.
While the pope always tried to set himself as an example, he worked hard to make sure that there were other examples for the church as well. More than any other pope in history, he worked hard to cannonize saints (ultimate models of Christ here on earth) and beatify blesseds (the step prior to cannonization. Essentially recognizing that the person being beatified was a holy person). He proclaimed 1282 blesseds and cannonized 456 saints (source http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,59212,00.html).
While he always worked to help the church, Pope John Paul II also reached out to other religions. He is often lauded for his work in fighting Anti-Semitism from his early days as a priest throughout his entire career. He has reached out to many orthodox religions as well as Muslims across the world and has always worked to try and bring peace between all of those religions.
While his 26 year papacy (third longest in the history of the papacy) is certainly a legacy among the people he served, he will certainly be more remembered for being "of the people" with his writings, teachings, and visitations to millions of people across the world.
We will mourn the loss of this great man. He was a gentle man, a humble man, a man of great character and wisdom, and a servant of the people whom he loved so dearly.
While we mourn the loss of this great and humble man, the business of the church continues on. Within a few days, we will see a conclave of cardinals from across the world gather together to elect a new pope to lead the church. Here is a link that describes the process for electing a new pope. This is just something that I found interesting for those who are interested in this process. ttp://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,59245,00.html
