italian news just announced

[manu1959]

the pope is no longer with us

 

[Avatar4321]

well i figured it would happen today. kind of ironic though.

 

[5stringJeff]

Sorry to hear. The Christian religion has lost a great proponent.

 

[padisha emperor]

The Vatican say that this italian news is fake.
It is not an official report, and they say that it is wrong. The Pop, according with them, is not dead.

but he 'ld be soon, and as said gop_jeff, a great man would be dead.

 

[manu1959]

The Vatican say that this italian news is fake.
It is not an official report, and they say that it is wrong. The Pop, according with them, is not dead.

but he 'ld be soon, and as said gop_jeff, a great man would be dead.

glad to hear The Pop is still with us

 

[Avatar4321]

I was alittle surprised. yahoo had an article saying he was dead and then two mins later it was one saying he was in critical condition and i was just like this is a rather mean april fools joke.

 

[padisha emperor]

in fact, the italian news said that the encephalogram of the Pope was flat, then no more cerebral activity.
A lot of media took this news and published it.

but after, the official sources from the Vatican denied that the Pope was dead.
IN fact, there is no encephalogram in the room of the Pope, so the information couldn't be sure.

But everybody know that he would died in few hours.

 

[Shattered]

By Philip Pullella and Robin Pomeroy

VATICAN CITY, April 2 (Reuters) - Pope John Paul is slipping in and out of consciousness, the Vatican says as Roman Catholics around the world prepare for the death of the Pontiff who fought communism and defended church orthodoxy.

The Vatican said on Saturday the Pope, whose long declining health took an abrupt turn for the worse on Thursday, remained in very serious condition and was intermittently losing consciousness.

"As of this morning at dawn, we are noticing that his state of consciousness is compromised," spokesman Joaquin Navarro-Valls told reporters.

"This absolutely does not mean he is in a coma. When he speaks, his eyes are open and he remains conscious, but at times he seems to be sleeping," Navarro-Valls said.

Bracing for his passing, faithful around the world gathered in prayer for the Polish-born Pope who led the Catholic Church for 26 years -- the third-longest reign of a Pontiff -- and visited more countries than any predecessor.

"If God decides that the Pope should perish, I wish God will give us another Pope just like our beloved John Paul," Gregoria Elabastina, a nun in the Philippines, told Reuters between sobs.

Several thousand people, some singing, dancing and clapping, gathered in St Peter's Square to be close to the Pope, who was lying in his bed in the papal apartment overlooking the square.

"LAST HOURS"

While periodically unconscious, the Pope still showed signs that he recognised people, Italian Cardinal Achille Silvestrini said after visiting him in the morning.

But Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, the Vatican's top doctrinal watchdog, said the Pope "is aware he is going to the Lord".

"It looks as though these may be his last hours," Cardinal Wilfred Napier of Durban, South Africa, told Reuters. In a sign the Vatican was preparing for a funeral, workers dismantled a semi-permanent stage in St Peter's Square. For the funeral of the last Pope in 1978, that space was occupied by a relatively small altar.

Citing the Pope's "imminent and inevitable" death, Italy's main sports body cancelled all weekend events including top division soccer matches to which Italians are addicted.

Once an athlete, the Pope has had a series of health dramas, including a near-fatal shooting in 1981 by a Turkish gunman. He has suffered from Parkinson's Disease in recent years and was twice rushed to hospital in February with breathing crises.

He failed to recover from throat surgery aimed at helping him breathe and on Thursday developed a high fever caused by a urinary infection. He told aides he did not want to return to hospital and received the holy sacrament reserved for the dying.

On Friday, the Vatican said John Paul's heart and kidneys were failing, his breathing was shallow and his blood pressure had fallen dangerously low.

"LOSING MY FRIEND"

The faithful in Europe, Asia, Africa and the Americas said special prayers for the Pope, credited by his supporters for promoting democracy and peace in far corners of the globe.

China, which does not allow its Catholics to recognise the Vatican's authority, took the unusual step of expressing concern over the Pope's health and said it hoped he would recover.

Communist Cuba's state-run television gave the country's top Catholic prelate rare air time to inform Cubans that the Pope was on his deathbed.

In Warsaw, churches stayed open all night.

"There has never been such a Pole as him and there never will be. I am counting on a miracle," said Stanislaw Witek, a 56-year-old electrician in the Pope's hometown of Wadowice before bursting into tears.

The chairman of the Catholic Bishops conference in Burundi called on all Burundians to pray for the Pope, saying he had helped the African country hold elections in the early 1990s.

ONCE AN OUTSIDER

The former Archbishop Karol Wojtyla of Krakow sprang onto the world stage on Oct. 16, 1978, a surprise choice for pope after his predecessor died after only a month in office.

From the throne of St Peter he flayed communist oppression and human rights abuses elsewhere in the world. U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice called him "one of the most important actors" in the fall of communism in Europe.

But his orthodox line on many Church teachings drew criticism from liberal Catholics in developed countries who opposed his proclamations against contraception, abortion, married priests and women clergy.

In St Peter's Square, German pilgrim Elisabeth Huelsdau said: "It would be good if the next pope pushed for more reform than this one but had the same personal appeal." Jerzy Urban, a spokesman of Poland's past communist rulers, said: "I cannot say I will regret his passing. As a godless atheist I never cared much for the church or the papacy."

After the Pope dies, more than 100 cardinals will be called to Rome to choose a successor at a conclave that normally starts in the Vatican's Sistine Chapel 15 to 20 days after the death.

There is no favourite candidate to take over as head of the Church, but some churchmen believe the developing world should provide the next pope as that is where the religion is most vibrant. Nearly half of all Catholics are in Latin America.

"There are candidates on almost every continent," Cardinal Napier said. "One could come from anywhere."

The Pontiff's mourning rites will last nine days and his body is likely to be laid to rest in the crypt underneath St. Peter's Basilica.

http://today.reuters.co.uk/News/new...04-02T130058Z_01_CHA107683_RTRUKOC_0_POPE.xml

 

[HorhayAtAMD]

http://www.cbc.ca/story/world/national/2005/04/02/pope-dead050402.html

The Pope is dead

Last Updated Sat, 02 Apr 2005 14:59:44 EST
CBC News


VATICAN CITY - Pope John Paul II, the leader of the world's 1.1 billion Roman Catholics, died Saturday at the age of 84.

 

[Annie]

http://www.cbc.ca/story/world/national/2005/04/02/pope-dead050402.html

The Pope is dead

Last Updated Sat, 02 Apr 2005 14:59:44 EST
CBC News


VATICAN CITY - Pope John Paul II, the leader of the world's 1.1 billion Roman Catholics, died Saturday at the age of 84.

I just knew the crowd would applaud! He is at peace, with the Lord.

 

[Bosox21]

Being catholic and 80% Polish I cried when I first heard. I didnt agree with all his stances, but I loved the man. He survied the Nazis, being hit by a car and left for dead, being shot. He led a remarkable life, and as a Catholic I am proud to of had him as Pope. In the next few days we will celebrate his life, as we should, but for today I and memebrs of my parish grieve for him. I hope the next Pope will be able to fill Pope John Paul II shoes.

 

[dilloduck]

Truly a remarkable figure in history--my thoughts are with all those who are grieving, especially board members .

 

[-Cp]

Being catholic and 80% Polish I cried when I first heard. I didnt agree with all his stances, but I loved the man. He survied the Nazis, being hit by a car and left for dead, being shot. He led a remarkable life, and as a Catholic I am proud to of had him as Pope. In the next few days we will celebrate his life, as we should, but for today I and memebrs of my parish grieve for him. I hope the next Pope will be able to fill Pope John Paul II shoes.

Why do you grieve for someone your own belief system teaches is in a far better place now?

 

[Bosox21]

Just because I belive he is in heaven doesnt mean Myself and other Catholics cant be sad. I lost an Uncle last year, I hope to see him in Heaven but I was still upset about his loss. People in Poland were crying and probably some all over the world, because of our loss. My sister cried when her husband deployed overseas, and god willing hell be back but we wont see him for a while. I think the same principle applys.