John Paul II -- Pilgrim, Pope, Man of God

Pope John Paul II, spiritual leader of the Roman Catholic Church, passed away today, ending one of the longest papal reigns in history. The Pope passed away at his residence in Vatican City as hundreds of thousands of people prayed and held vigil in St. Peter's Square.

Pope John Paul II, born Karol Wojtyla , was a man of compassion and conviction who survived the Nazi occupation of Poland, stood up against Communism, and in an extraordinary gesture, met with and forgave the man who attempted to assassinate him in 1981. He was steadfastly devoted to the doctrines of the Church, his faith and God, and he was a role model for millions of Catholics and people of faith all around the world.

The Pope's physical presence is gone from the world, but his spirit will live on through the faith of the millions of lives his touched during his papacy.