Pope John Paul II died Saturday night (April 2, 2005)

I only learned about the Pope’s condition through text messages from friends. First, it informed about asking prayer for the Pope’s recovery of his sickness, I received more than 10 same messages that day on my phone. After receiving it I turn on the TV and look for news report about the Pope. Confirmed, he was really in a bad and critical condition, and on the next day I just received another messages stating that the Pope died Saturday April 2, 2005 (Sunday, 2:30 am Manila time). People around the world reacts and breaks into tears after hearing the news.

I just heard the news and read some articles about the Pope of how he leads the Church and how nice he is specially to the youth, although I’m not that closely aware about him but still I know he is a good person and a good servant of the Lord and to the people around the world. They said he is the most popular Pope at the present and I believed that coz’ in I saw a lot of people cried and weep when they heard that the Pope died. A lot offered prayers and go to Rome to show their final respect to the Pope.

Now the Pope died I think I missed him, I missed the opportunity to meet him or just to see him in person even from a distance just to feel his holiness. But anyway he touched people’s lives; he contributed a lot in the world specially in spreading the word of God, peace and Christianism. He already fulfilled his mission here on earth and he deserves to be with the Lord for eternity.

Preparing the Pope’s body (from CNN)

Pope’s body ‘prepared,’ not embalmed

VATICAN CITY (AP) -- Departing from tradition, Pope John Paul II was not embalmed, only "prepared" for viewing by hundreds of thousands of mourners, the Vatican said Tuesday.

Vatican spokesman Joaquin Navarro-Valls did not elaborate on the procedure, but an embalmer in Rome said it appeared John Paul's remains were only touched up with cosmetics.

Massimo Signoracci, whose family embalmed three other popes, said he could not be certain what had been done without examining the body.

Signoracci said even a light embalming would be necessary for a body that is exposed for several days.

John Paul died Saturday night, and his remains were put on public view late Monday on an open platform in St. Peter's Basilica. He will be buried Friday.

Asked if there had been an autopsy, the Vatican spokesman said: "No, the body was only prepared." He would not elaborate.

Historically, organs were removed to make embalming more durable. Relics of 22 popes are kept in anaphors in Rome's St. Anastasio and Vincent Church, near the Trevi fountain, from Sisto V who died in 1390 to Leo XIII who died in 1903.

Pope Pius X, who reigned from 1903 to 1914, abolished the custom of removing organs.

Embalming usually consists of draining the blood and other bodily fluids and intravenously injecting formaldehyde and other preserving liquids.

Signoracci said his family had embalmed the remains of John XXIII in 1963, and of Paul VI and John Paul I, who both died in 1978.

Paul VI was only lightly embalmed before his body was placed before the public during Rome's hot summer. But after two days the skin and fingernails began losing their color.

John XXIII's body, by contrast, was in excellent condition when it was exhumed from the cramped grotto under the basilica in 2001 -- 38 years after his death -- and moved to the main floor following his beatification.

John Paul, who expressed a will to be buried underground, will be placed in John XXIII's vacant tomb.

The Pope’s Biography:

http://www.cnn.com/SPECIALS/2005/pope/stories/bio1/index.html