April 1, 2011. This April 2 is the six year anniversary of the death of John Paul II. The night of his passing, thousands of people gathered in St. Peter's Square to be physically close to the Pope during his last moments. While the plaza was filled with a powerful applause dedicated to the recently departed pope, inside the apartment of John Paul II there was a similar reaction

Joaquin Navarro-Valls
Ex-Vatican spokesman
“The first prayer made in that room at the time of his death was not one the Church does, for the repose of the soul. No, it was a prayer of thanks. Naturally it wasn't giving thanks for his death, but thanks for this historic and rich life which ended at that point.”

Immediately after, Rome hosted a tidal wave of pilgrims, as millions waited in line for countless hours, even sleeping in the street, waiting for the chance to pray before the body of John Paul II.

Just like during the Middle Ages, the crowds gathered at the pope's funeral cheered him as a saint, asking the next pope to officially recognize it as soon as possible.

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