Mood: See previous post.
Currently listening to: Easy Like Sunday Morning - Faith No More (quaint, given the circumstances)
(Second) Thought Of The Day: "I would have made a good Pope." - Richard M. Nixon

Dammit, just when i posted a new post... *mutter*

Article here:

VATICAN CITY (AP) - John Paul II, who led the Roman Catholic Church for 26 years and helped topple communism in Europe while becoming the most-traveled pope, died Saturday night in his Vatican apartment after a long public struggle against debilitating illness. He was 84.

"We all feel like orphans this evening," Undersecretary of State Archbishop Leonardo told the crowd of 70,000 that had gathered in St. Peter's Square below the pope's still-lighted apartment windows.

The assembled faithful fell into a stunned silence before some people broke out in applause - an Italian tradition in which mourners often clap for important figures. Others wept.

The crowd, which appeared to grow quickly, recited the rosary. A person in the front held a Polish flag in honor of the Polish-born pontiff.

"The angels welcome you," Vatican TV said after papal spokesman Joaquin Navarro-Valls announced the death of the pope, who had for years suffered from Parkinson's disease and came down with fever and infections in recent weeks.

A Mass was scheduled for St. Peter's Square for 10:30 a.m. (4:30 a.m. EDT) Sunday.

Navarro-Valls announced the death in an e-mail to journalists. "The Holy Father died this evening at 9:37 p.m. (2:37 p.m. EST) in his private apartment. All the procedures outlined in the apostolic Constitution 'Universi Dominici Gregis' that was written by John Paul II on Feb. 22, 1996, have been put in motion," Navarro-Valls said.

John Paul declined rapidly after suffering heart and kidney failure following two hospitalizations in as many months. Just two hours before announcing his death, the Vatican had said he was in "very serious" condition, although he was responding to aides.


Ah well... given my dislike for the Church i have to admit, grudgingly, that he wasn't that bad a pope i guess since he was a lot more open about many things than previous popes, especially concerning other religions.

(given the excesses of some of his predecessors - all of whom had the most ironic of names to match... 'Innocent' VIII and his children anyone?).

Then again, thats why we had the Reformation and Protestants...

Still, for what its worth, at least he tried - Rest In Peace.

...

Now, let the politics BEGIN!

I need sleep. Badly. And i'm not even halfway. *sob*