Last night, one of the greatest figures of the 20th century passed on. Whether you are Catholic or not, its hard not have anything but the deepest respect for the man. God keep him and give him peace.
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Karol Wojtyla was an unexpected choice for pope when he was elected in 1978, aged 58. He was the first non-Italian for 450 years and was seen as an outsider for the job. He took the name John Paul II. One of his first visits was to Poland – the first papal visit to a nation under Communist rule. But his tour gave strength to people and helped sow the seeds of the revolution that would come 10 years later.
After two frail predecessors he was seen as a man of action. He was that and a lot more.
