On April 2nd at 2:37PM EST, one of the 20th centuries greatest leaders passed away. For 26 years Pope John Paul II selflessly served the world as the Vicar of Christ and head of the Catholic Church. An exemplary model of compassion and humility, John Paul's greatest legacy will be the mark he left on the spiritual and political realm of our world.
American President George W. Bush summed up the life of John Paul II in these words:
"The Catholic Church has lost its shepherd, the world has lost a champion of human freedom, and a good and faithful servant of God has been called home.
Pope John Paul II left the throne of St. Peter in the same way he ascended to it -- as a witness to the dignity of human life. In his native Poland, that witness launched a democratic revolution that swept Eastern Europe and changed the course of history. Throughout the West, John Paul's witness reminded us of our obligation to build a culture of life in which the strong protect the weak. And during the Pope's final years, his witness was made even more powerful by his daily courage in the face of illness and great suffering.
We will always remember the humble, wise and fearless priest who became one of history's great moral leaders. We're grateful to God for sending such a man, a son of Poland, who became the Bishop of Rome, and a hero for the ages."
Neowin salutes one of the great leaders of our time.
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