The body of the late Pope John Paul II is led through St. Peter's Square Monday. April 4, 2005

The Shrine Today: The Grounds Chapel on Friday, April 1, 2005


The faithful pay their respects as the pope's body is moved to St. Peter's Basilica for public viewing.

Thousands try to catch a glimpse as the pope's body is carried by 12 pallbearers. The funeral is expected to draw millions of followers to Rome.

The body of Pope John Paul II is carried to St. Peter's Basilica for public viewing on Monday. (Getty Images)

 
Cardinal Eduardo Martinez Somalo of Spain prays over the pope's body inside St. Peter's Basilica.

Swiss Guards stand at attention as procession moves into the basilica. Pope at St. Peter's Square in the Vatican City.

Two nuns watch as the body is carried.
 

Picking a Successor
What's the path to the white smoke?
Cardinals gather in the Sistine Chapel two days before Pope John Paul II's 1978 election.

The secret ballots are burned in a Vatican stove, as shown in this undated photo.

White smoke billows from the Sistine Chapel announcing the election of Pope John Paul II.

Pope John Paul II is introduced to the crowd from the balcony in St. Peter's Square.

VATICAN CITY (Reuters) - Pope John Paul will be buried in St. Peter's Basilica on April 8, Catholic cardinals decided on Monday as they began to plan the Church's future after the death of the man who led it for a quarter century.

Pope John Paul II at his election in 1978.

In January 2004, the pope watched break-dancers from his native Poland perform at the Vatican.

The pope rushed the stage after a musician born without arms finished performing in 1987 in Los Angeles.

"This man opened his heart to everyone, rich or poor. He showed us all the possibility of living in freedom."
-- Ursula Szpetkowska, originally from Poland


When I came to Italy eight years ago from Romania, I lived on the streets... The pope gave me strength."


Mourners line up to enter St. Peter's Basilica at the Vatican to pay their respects to the late Pope John Paul II Tuesday.


Pope John Paul 11

Powerful Spiritual Leader Dies After Long Struggle

1920 - 2005

VATICAN CITY (April 2) - Pope John Paul II, who helped topple communism in Europe and left a deeply conservative stamp on the church that he led for 26 years, has died after a long public struggle against debilitating illness. He was 84.

 



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