Pope John Paul II
1920-2005
Almost a week after his death at age 84, Pope John Paul II was laid to rest today in Vatican City. The funeral was attended by hundreds of dignitaries and millions of people. It was viewed on television in several countries and preliminary estimates put the figure of viewers in the area of 2 billion people, making this event the most widely watched in history.
It was a moving ceremony, filled with the rich and colorful heritage of the Catholic Church. With the crowds in Vatican City waving flags from all over the world, televison cameras captured every moment of it. The mass was officiated by Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, a close friend and adviser to the late Pontiff. His Homily ( http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/7427983/) was both moving and intelligent, with a deep message to the worlds 1.1 billion Roman Catholics, as well as to the the rest of the world.
This was a man of peace and love. Someone who strove in his life to fight evil and bring the world closer together. Through his efforts the scourge of Communism in Russia and Eastern Europe was defeated. This was a man whose legacy will last for decades to come. We should all be thankful for having had him in our world.
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