Today the world mourns the death of Pope John Paul II, who died in Rome last night after a long illness. John Paul II was the first non-Italian Pope in four-and-a-half centuries, and the first from eastern Europe. Born Karol Wojtyla in humble conditions in Poland, he became the head of the Church in October 1978 at age 58 and imprinted his papacy with his own agenda and warm, communicative style, winning over crowds and statesmen alike with his commitment to peace and human rights.

Here in Sweden, the catholic cathederal in Söder was packed today for mass, and I expect it will also be full on Tuesday for the Requiem Mass at 6.30pm. Anyone who wants to write in the condolence book can do so at the site for the Swedish Catholic Church. Tributes have been pouring in, along with the inevitable criticisms of his reign. The King of Sweden released a lovely statement where he remembered him as “A charismatic person whose eyes radiated human warmth and goodness”.



This picture shows some of the thousands of mourners who came to St. Eugenia Cathedral in Stockholm today to light a candle and pay their respects.

I'll try to remember him as a staunch defender of human dignity and for his contribution in helping end to end the hold of communism in the Eastern bloc. I am old enough to remember the last three popes. Paul VI was pope while I attended several catholic schools in Adelaide and I remember his picture being at the front of the classroom. And I recall his death in 1978, followed by the election of Pope John Paul I who only reigned for a month before dying and the current pope being elected. After a reign of 27 years, it is the end of an era. Let us hope that it will also be the start of a new, bright era under a new pope who will be elected in two weeks.

Requiescat in Pace, Karol Wojtyla.