Pope John Paul II reigned as Pope of the Roman Catholic Church for over 26 years, from October 16 1978, until his last day on April 2 2005. His personal role as a religious leader and teacher of Catholics worldwide, was to emphasize the universal call to holiness and the Church's role in a modern world. He is known to have spoken out against communism, materialism, imperialism, unrestrained capitalism and oppression, and firmly opposed abortion, capital punishment, homosexuality, and contraception.
He made over a hundred pastoral trips abroad, more than any previous pontiffs, for bridge-building efforts between nations and between religions that were central to his pontificate. John Paul II beatified and canonized far more persons than any previous pope and his pontificate was the third-longest in the history of the Papacy, after those of Pius IX and Saint Peter.
The world remembers him as a world figure who dared to speak up on sensitive matters of human morality and worked hard to bridge nations and religions. For his dedication and his mission done on earth, he was called to eternal rest. May the Lord bless His good and faithful servant who departed and may the work he had done on earth continue to shine.
Requiescant in pace
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