Strong papal leadership will leave divisive legacy

ADORED by some, attacked by others, Pope John Paul is the most prominent religious leader and perhaps the most widely recognised person in the world.

In over a quarter century on the global stage, he was both a champion of the downtrodden and an often contested defender of orthodoxy within his own church.

In recent years, the world watched the decline in the health of the 84-year-old sufferer from Parkinson’s disease and severe arthritis. He was left unable to complete his prepared speeches and had difficulty pronouncing his words.