The POPE has died

[Goobergunch]

For those looking for confirmation:

Originally Posted by The Associated Press

VATICAN CITY - Pope John Paul II, the Polish pontiff who led the Roman Catholic Church for more than a quarter century and became history's most-traveled pope, died Saturday night in his Vatican apartment. He was 84.

"The angels welcome you," Vatican TV said after the announcement came from papal spokesman Joaquin Navarro-Valls.

"The Holy Father 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," Navarro-Valls said.

Cardinal Angelo Sodano, the Vatican No. 2 official, led a tearful crowd of 70,000 people in St. Peter's Square in prayers for the pope.

Some people held their hands to their heads in disbelief. Others cried uncontrollably as they stood in the massive plaza beneath the pope's still-lighted apartment windows.

A Mass was scheduled for St. Peter's Square for 10:30 a.m. (4:30 a.m. EDT) Sunday.

http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=stor...e&sid=84439559

[I'm rather surprised it hasn't been announced on the regional webcast I'm watching by now.] (struck out on edit)

Although there is much I disagreed with John Paul II on, he was consistent in his beliefs and he did a lot of good in this world (such as helping to end the Cold War). May he rest in peace.