Pope John Paul II (1920-2005) Dies at 84

Article Summary

The Pope died this evening at 9:37 P.M. (2:37 P.M. EST) in his private apartment.

“All the procedures outlined in the apostolic Constitution 'Universi Dominici Gregis' that was written by John Paul II on Feb. 22, 1996, have been put in motion"” said papal spokesman Joaquin Navarro-Valls.

Bells tolled at the Vatican and across Rome. Vatican, Italian, and European Union flags were lowered to half-mast across the capital.

A Mass is scheduled for 10:30 A.M. Sunday (4:30 A.M. EST).

“Immediately after the news was announced to the crowd in St. Peter's Square, there was complete silence. The crowd seemed stunned. A few minutes later, some people broke out in applause in appreciation for the pope — in an Italian tradition in which mourners often clap for important figures. Others wept.”

“People in Pope John Paul II's hometown of Wadowice fell to their knees and wept as the news of his death reached them at the end of a special Mass in the church where Poland's favorite son worshipped as a boy…

John Paul II was last seen in public on Wednesday when, looking gaunt and unable to speak, he briefly appeared at his window.

His health sharply deteriorated the next day after he suffered a urinary tract infection. The Vatican said the pope was suffering from septic shock, which involves both bacteria in the blood and a consequent over-relaxing of the blood vessels.”

“When a pope dies, the prefect of the papal household, currently American Archbishop James Harvey, tells the camerlengo, or chamberlain, who is the most important official running the Holy See in the period between the death of a pope and the election of a new one.

The camerlengo, now Cardinal Eduardo Martinez Somalo of Spain, must then verify the death — a process which in the past was done by striking the forehead of the pope with a silver hammer. The camerlengo then calls out to the pope three times by his baptismal name — Karol, Karol, Karol. When the pope does not respond, the camerlengo then announces "the pope is dead."

The camerlengo uses the silver hammer to smash the pope's ring — the papal seal or "ring of the fisherman" — to preclude forgery of official documents.

The mourning will last nine days and the pope's body will likely lie in state. The funeral is expected to take place in St. Peter's Square and the body will then be laid to rest, alongside other popes', in a crypt underneath St. Peter's Basilica.

A conclave will gather 117 cardinals at the Vatican to begin the process of electing a new pope within 15 to 20 days.”