Poland marks first anniversary of Pope's death

Poland’s parliament today marked the forthcoming first anniversary of Pope John Paul II’s death with a resolution expressing its “immense gratitude” to the late Polish-born Pontiff.

Politicians stood and applauded after the Warsaw lower house unanimously approved the resolution. John Paul II, born Karol Wojtyla in southern Poland, was 84 when he died on April 2, 2005.

“On the first anniversary of the death of the Polish Pope, the parliament wishes to express immense gratitude for everything that he did for the world, for Poland and for Poles, for our freedom and for the teaching that he left to us and to future generations,” the resolution said.

John Paul was greatly loved and admired in Poland, his predominantly Roman Catholic homeland. He was credited with helping bring down communism in the country and elsewhere in eastern Europe.