Pope John Paul II, 1920-2005

The Holy Father, John Paul II, aged 84, died at 9:37p.m. on Saturday, April 2, 2005, after the 8:00p.m. Vigil Mass on the Feast of Divine Mercy in his private apartment at the Vatican.

Pope John Paul II, before entering into the state of diminished consciousness, whispered to his personal secretary the eloquent phrase: “I am happy, be it yourselves as well.”

According to the Saturday issue of the Italian daily Il Secolo XIX, the Pope pronounced these moving words to Archbishop Stanislaw Dziwisz, his personal secretary and right hand from his days as Archbishop of Krakow (Poland.)

The message was mainly addressed to the priests and religious who have been serving the Pontiff in the last months.

Nevertheless, the phrase, according to the Italian daily, has become a “testament” for all the faithful around the world.

The Pope in pictures: http://religion-cults.com/pope/pope2.htm