Pope John Paul II - Conscience of the Christian world

IN the end, the world’s immutable memory of Pope John Paul II, one of the towering religious influences of our time, will be one of admiration and awe for a man who strove heroically to the last to carry out his evangelical mission in the face of debilitating illness.

His demise was distinguished by the strength of character which typified his reign for the past quarter of a century as leader of the Catholic Church and a colossal influential political figure.

The Pope’s potent legacy began with his historic elevation to leader of the world’s Catholics in October 1978. The 58-year-old Polish Cardinal Karol Wojtyla became the first non-Italian Pope in 455 years.