Do Not Be Afraid...

The Family First Site would like to take a few moment to remember one of the great people of our time, and one who will be remembered for many years to come as a kind and gentle person. Pope John Paul II passed away yesterday at 9:37pm in his apartment in Vatican City. Many are not aware that Vatican City is a country that if fully independent of any nation, including the one it is surrounded by, Italy. Today, as the life of the Pope is celebrated world wide, we visit the official Vatican site that reflects on the works that this great man accomplished.

The name of the site is called "Do Not Be Afraid", and is taken from a quote of the Pope. It is a portion of the official Vatican City website. Here you can review what Pope John Paul II accomplished since he was elected in 1978. There is a year by year breakdown of his travels, his writings, his messages, his speeches, in short, a very detailed look at his papacy. Once you spend sometime at this portion of the site, you will, as I did, come to realize that he was a great man.

But this site also provides a ready reference to the basics of how the Vatican works, and, most interestingly, what the procedure is to elect a new Pope. There is a detailed instruction from the Pope, written in 1996, called "Vacancy of the Apostolic See". This is the set of rules that are being followed at this moment, to ensure an orderly transition. It is an interesting article, and I am sure you will be impressed by the amount of detail that is spelled out.

I was in the service, and in Italy, when Pope John Paul I and Pope John Paul II were elected. It was interesting to see the reverence that the Pope is held in, and how much whoever holds the office is truly loved by their followers. Pope John Paul II was a special person, one who managed to brigde not only territorial gaps, but also a generation gap between the young and old. He will truly be missed. But as we remember with sadness his passing, we can also celebrate that his journey is over, and he is at home with a loving God.

http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/special_features/hf_jp_ii_xxv_en.htm

Digg It! It's Del.icio.us! Furl It!