The world grieves for John Paul II
World leaders and millions of faithful across the world have paid tribute to Pope John Paul II, who passed away in the Vatican on Saturday.
The Swiss government and the country’s Catholic bishops praised the Pontiff’s exceptional personality and his commitment as a Christian leader.
Bells of Switzerland’s Catholic churches rang out on Sunday morning as a mark of respect for the 84-year-old Pontiff.
From Brazil to the Philippines, and South Africa to Germany, people prayed and wept in grief when news flashed across the globe of the death of the Pope, whose reign was the third-longest pontificate.
The Pope’s body is to lie in state in the Vatican ahead of the funeral expected mid-week. The city of Rome is preparing for an influx of about two million pilgrims over the next few days.
In the Pope’s homeland, the Polish president, Aleksander Kwasnieswki, said the Pope had been a spiritual guide and praised him for his role in ending communism in Eastern Europe.
President Bush said the world had lost a champion of human freedom and an inspiration to millions of Americans and others.
The United Nations Secretary-General, Kofi Annan, said the Pope was a man of peace.
Swiss President Samuel Schmid said the Pope had marked his 26-year reign with his charismatic personality.
He recalled the Pope’s visits to Switzerland in 1984 and 2004.
Companion and friend
Leaders of Switzerland’s Catholic Church hailed the Pontiff as a companion of the poor and the infirm, as well as a friend of the young generation.
“He had made up his mind to suffer like Jesus,” said Bishop Amédée Grab, the president of the Swiss Bishops’ Conference, in an interview with the NZZ am Sonntag newspaper.
Bishop Kurt Koch, who heads the country’s largest diocese, said the death of John Paul marked the end of an era, according to the SonntagsZeitung newspaper.
Swiss Cardinal Georges Cottier, who was the Pope’s personal theologian, told the SonntagsBlick newspaper that the Pope’s main message was one of hope.
Switzerland’s controversial Catholic theologian, Hans Küng, acknowledged John Paul’s personal commitment during the papacy, but criticised his conservative policies.
Küng became the first major Catholic theologian to reject papal infallibility, prompting the Vatican to revoke his right to teach at Catholic universities in 1979.
Switzerland’s Protestant Church described the Pope as a messenger of basic Christian values.
The country’s Jewish and Muslim communities said he had helped to foster inter-religious dialogue.
swissinfo with agencies
The Pope made two official visits to Switzerland in 1984 and 2004.
According to the Statistics Office, 41.8% of the Swiss are Catholics.
The 100-strong Swiss Guards – the world’s smallest army – are responsible for security at the Vatican.
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